Bronchogenic carcinoma can present with a wide array of symptoms and imaging findings, often mimicking other pulmonary conditions. This case report describes a 66-year-old male fisherman who was initially diagnosed and treated for nonfibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) but was later found to have bronchogenic carcinoma. The overlapping clinical and radiological features between HP and bronchogenic carcinoma pose significant diagnostic challenges. Our case report highlights the importance of considering a comprehensive differential diagnosis, especially in patients with complex exposure histories and persistent symptoms. Recognizing the potential for malignancy in atypical presentations is essential for timely and appropriate management.
Beck K S, Sung Y E, Lee K Y, et al. Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung: serial CT findings, clinical features, and treatment and survival outcomes. In Thoracic Cancer 2020;11(12):3463–3472. DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.13674
Alberti ML, Rincon-Alvarez E, Buendia-Roldan I, et al. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021;8:7182–7199. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.71829
Fernández Pérez, E R Travis, W D, et al. Diagnosis and evaluation of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In Chest 2021;160(2):e97–e156. DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.03.066
Wang H, Li Y, Han J, et al. A machine learning-based PET/CT model for automatic diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer. In Frontiers in Oncology 2023;13. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1192908
Volpi S, Ali JM, Tasker A, et al. The role of positron emission tomography in the diagnosis, staging, and response assessment of non-small cell lung cancer. Ann Transl Med. 2018;6(5):95. DOI: 10.21037/atm.2018.01.25
Rekhtman N, Ang DC, Sima CS, et al. Immunohistochemical algorithm for differentiation of lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma based on a large series of whole-tissue sections with validation in small specimens. In Modern Pathology 2011;24(10):1348–1359. DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2011.92
Park HJ, Lee SH, Chang YS, et al. Recent advances in diagnostic technologies in lung cancer. In The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2020;35(2):257–268. DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2020.030
LoPiccolo J, Gusev A, Christiani DC, et al. Lung cancer in patients who have never smoked — an emerging disease. In Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology 2024;21(2):121–146. DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00844-0
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2024;22(4):249–274. DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2204.0023
