Pulmonary lymphangitis sarcomatosis: a rare cause of severe progressive dyspnoea

Abstract

Pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis is a complication of malignancy with a poor prognosis. We describe an unusual case in which it caused ventilatory failure and unfortunately death in a previously well male in his 70s. Abnormal chest imaging led to a wide differential diagnosis with Bronchoscopy confirming malignant cells. MRI of his pelvis and biopsy was done diagnosis of metastatic leiomyosarcoma, a particularly aggressive malignancy. Sarcoma-related lymphangitis carcinomatosis is rarely described in the literature and this is the first case to our knowledge of its association with leiomyosarcoma.