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Pancoast Tumor

Anusha B. Pinjala, MBBS and Oluwatayo Adeoye, MD Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Pancoast tumors (or superior sulcus tumors), refer to a unique subset of lung carcinomas that derive their name from a radiologist Henry Pancoast.

  • These bronchogenic carcinomas are ch...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Because of their peripheral location, common symptoms of lung carcinoma (including cough, hemoptysis, and dyspnea) may be absent until late stage disease. In the early stages of disea...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Pancoast tumors have shown historically poor survival rates and were previously considered to be inoperable and incurable.

  • Modern standard treatment for superior sulcus tumors...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Close patient follow-up at with proper history, physical, and plain film/CT imaging routinely. 

PROGNOSIS

  • Complete resection as well as complete p...

REFERENCES

1
Marulli  G, Battistella  L, Mammana  M, et al. Superior sulcus tumors (Pancoast tumors). Ann Transl Med.  2016;4(12):239. [View Abstract on OvidMedline] ...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Marra  A, Eberhardt  W, Pöttgen  C, et al. Induction chemotherapy, concurrent chemoradiation and surgery for Pancoast tumour. Eur Respir J.  2007;29(...

CODES

ICD10

  • C34.10 Malignant neoplasm of upper lobe, unsp bronchus or lung

  • C34.11 Malignant neoplasm of upper lobe, right bronchus or lung

  • C34.12 Malignant neoplasm of upper lobe, left bronchus or lung

SNOMED

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Pancoast tumors represent 3–5% of all lung cancers, demonstrates a male preponderance, and an average age of presentation during the 6th decade of life.

  • Common symptoms of lung carcinom...

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