The Prevalence of Histoplasmic Skin Test in Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by fungus called Histoplasma capsulatum. Several studies reported cases of histoplasmosis that resembled malignancy [3]. . It is a fact that the clinical syndrome of neoplastic disease is not limited to malignancy, so that infectious diseases should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Method: This is descriptive research with consecutive samples. The sample was the patients with lung cancer aged 25-75 years old. The researcher assessed histoplasmic skin test on interdemal administered with fungal protein [5]. After being observed for allergic reaction in 48-72 hours, induration > 5mm shows positive reaction. The Result: this research included 25 samples consisting of 21 men and 4 women. The Result showed 1 person (4%) with positive histoplasmic skin test result containing squamous cell carcinoma and radiological features of solitary pulmonary nodule. There is an insignificant relationship between cancer cell types and the histoplasmic skin test results (p = 0.24). There is an insignificant relationship between histoplamic skin test result and radiological features (p = 0.48).  The Conclusion: There is one person with positive histoplasmic skin test result with squamous cell carcinoma and radiological features of solitary pulmonary nodule.