Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung. Will videothoracoscopic biopsy change decision-making with regard to resection of this disease?

Abstract

We report on a 57-year-old male presenting with cough and chest pain as well as a chronic infiltrate in the right posterior basel segment. Antibiotic treatment had been unsuccessful, CT-guided needle-biopsy and bronchoscopy had failed to forward reliable results. Thus, videothoracoscopic biopsy was performed and histologic diagnosis of a low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was obtained. The tumor was left in situ and single-agent chemotherapy was initiated for reasons which are discussed. Up to now localized pulmonary lymphomas were mainly resected in the course of an exploratory thoracotomy because the disease often could not be diagnosed with certainty previously. It is discussed whether surgical resection is still the best choice or other treatment modalities should be preferred.