Title: Lung Malignancy with Microfilariae: Causal Association or Incidental Finding

Authors: Nivedita Bastia, Rekha Manjhi, Aurobindo Behera

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v11i2.03

Abstract

Filariasis has a wide spectrum of presentation and usually involves the lung in the form of tropical pulmonary eosinophilia with pulmonary infiltrates and peripheral eosinophilia. Malignancy in association with microfilaria in cytological evaluation of pleural effusion is extremely rare. In this context, we hereby report a case of 80 year old male who presented with left sided chest pain, hemoptysis, with occasional cough & fever. Pleural fluid cytology revealed microfilaria and biopsy from lung mass revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Role of filariasis in tumorigenesis is controversial.

Keywords: Pleural effusion, microfilariae, lung malignancy.

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Corresponding Author

Nivedita Bastia

3rd year post-graduate, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, VSS Institute of Medical Science and Research, Burla, 768017, India