Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Mimicking Lung Metastasis in a Patient with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Abstract
Pulmonary cryptococcosis is a fungal infection that mimics metastatic lung tumors. A man with pancreatic head cancer and liver metastases harboring a germline BRCA2 mutation received FOLFOX chemotherapy. Despite a favorable response from the primary tumor and a decline in the CA19-9 levels, a rapidly enlarging solitary pulmonary nodule appeared. Because of the discordance between the response of the primary tumor and the lung nodule, thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed for a definitive diagnosis, which confirmed pulmonary cryptococcosis. Postoperatively, fluconazole was administered without recurrence and systemic chemotherapy was resumed. Early histopathological confirmation is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis and select the appropriate management.
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BibTeX
@article{uesugi2026pulmonary,
title = {{Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Mimicking Lung Metastasis in a Patient with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature}},
author = {Kaho Uesugi and Reiko Yamada and Yoshifumi Nakamura and Yasuaki Shimada and Minako Urata and Takamitsu Tanaka and Kenji Nose and Tetsuro Miwata and Hayato Nakagawa},
journal = {Internal Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2169/internalmedicine.6722-25},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/65/20/65_6722-25/_article},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Mimicking Lung Metastasis in a Patient with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
AU - Kaho Uesugi
AU - Reiko Yamada
AU - Yoshifumi Nakamura
AU - Yasuaki Shimada
AU - Minako Urata
AU - Takamitsu Tanaka
AU - Kenji Nose
AU - Tetsuro Miwata
AU - Hayato Nakagawa
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Internal Medicine
DO - 10.2169/internalmedicine.6722-25
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/65/20/65_6722-25/_article
AB - Pulmonary cryptococcosis is a fungal infection that mimics metastatic lung tumors. A man with pancreatic head cancer and liver metastases harboring a germline BRCA2 mutation received FOLFOX chemotherapy. Despite a favorable response from the primary tumor and a decline in the CA19-9 levels, a rapidly enlarging solitary pulmonary nodule appeared. Because of the discordance between the response of the primary tumor and the lung nodule, thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed for a definitive diagnosis, which confirmed pulmonary cryptococcosis. Postoperatively, fluconazole was administered without recurrence and systemic chemotherapy was resumed. Early histopathological confirmation is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis and select the appropriate management.
SN - 1349-7235
SN - 0918-2918
ER -