Pulmonary Mycobacterium avium Complex With Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are responsible for causing pulmonary as well as extrapulmonary diseases. These organisms are often multidrug resistant and management of these cases poses a therapeutic challenge. Lung cancer has been a prevalent challenge globally with a high mortality rate in affected individuals. Adenocarcinoma poses debilitating outcomes in most patients by inflicting a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The concomitant association of adenocarcinoma and Mycobacterium avium complex worsens the prognosis causing a challenge in managing such cases. We present a rare association between adenocarcinoma and pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex complicating the traditional therapeutic regime. A different approach in the administration of therapy for this unique concomitant association between two debilitating diseases is outlined in the presented report.

Keywords: adenocarcinoma; antimicrobial therapy; lung cancer; mycobacterium avium complex; nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm); nontuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Figure 1. Chest X-ray showing left M2 + L2 homogeneous opacities with blunting of costophrenic angle.

Figure 2. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the thorax showing volume loss due to a collapsed segment of the left lung, ipsilateral mediastinal shift due to central mass lesion, and centrilobular emphysematous changes over bilateral upper lobes.

A: HRCT mediastinal window of the thorax. B: HRCT lung window of the thorax.