Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Aug 20:17:143289.
doi: 10.52965/001c.143289. eCollection 2025.

Pancoast tumor masquerading as musculoskeletal pain

Pranay Gadikota  1 , Vindhya N Reddy  2 , Latha Ganti  3
Affiliations

Pancoast tumor masquerading as musculoskeletal pain

Pranay Gadikota et al. Orthop Rev (Pavia). .

Abstract

Pancoast tumors are a rare form of non-small cell lung cancers located in the lung apex invading thoracic inlet structures and surrounding tissues. This case focuses on a 71-year-old male smoker who presented with chronic neck pain and weakness in his right arm. Imaging revealed a mass in the right lung apex that had spread to the ribs, vertebrae, and brachial plexus. A biopsy confirmed squamous cell carcinoma. Initial treatment includes chemoradiation, especially in cases where surgical resection is not recommended due to invasion of critical structures. Early recognition is crucial to avoid disease progression and to initiate appropriate oncologic management. This case emphasizes the need to consider Pancoast tumors in patients with ongoing neck and upper limb neurological symptoms, even if they do not have respiratory issues, to ensure quick diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: Pancoast tumor; brachial plexus invasion; delayed diagnosis; lung apex; musculoskeletal pain; neck pain; squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Distribution of major cancer lung types
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Overview of Pancoast Tumor Characteristics
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Patient’s timeline of presentation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pancoast Tumor Masquerading as Cervical Spondylosis: a Case Report. Gupta M.K., Dhunge K., Ahmad K., Rauniyar R.K., Ansari S. 2013Nepal Journal of Medical Sciences. 2(2):184–186. doi: 10.3126/njms.v2i2.8973. - DOI
    1. Management of locally advanced Pancoast (superior sulcus) tumors with spine involvement. Setzer M., Robinson L. A., Vrionis F. D. 2014Cancer Control. 21(2):158–167. doi: 10.1177/107327481402100209. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gundepalli S. G., Tadi P. StatPearls [Internet] StatPearls Publishing; Treasure Island (FL): [2025-7-29]. Lung Pancoast Tumor.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556109/
    1. Superior sulcus (Pancoast) tumors: current evidence on diagnosis and radical treatment. Foroulis C. N., Zarogoulidis P., Darwiche K.., et al. 2013J Thorac Dis. 5(Suppl 4):S342–S358. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2013.04.08. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2013.04.08 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Superior pulmonary sulcus tumor: tumor characterized by pain Horner's syndrome, destruction of bone and atrophy of hand muscles. Pancoast H. K. 1932JAMA. 19:1391–1396. doi: 10.1001/jama.1932.02740690001001. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources