Successful treatment of invasive thoracopulmonary mucormycosis in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Pulmonary mucormycosis associated with hematologic malignancy is an uncommon, but important opportunistic fungal pneumonia that is usually a fatal infection. Only a few survivors of pulmonary mucormycosis have been reported.

METHODS:

A case report of invasive thoracopulmonary mucormycosis during remission-induction therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and a review of the literature are presented.

RESULTS:

The fungal lesions extended to both lungs, the left ribs, and intercostal muscles. Percutaneous needle biopsy and immunostaining of the fungal hyphae established the diagnosis of thoracopulmonary mucormycosis. The patient was treated with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and intravenous amphotericin B for 9 weeks and the lesions in the right lung disappeared. Left pneumonectomy and partial resection of the chest wall were later performed. The left lung was grossly necrotic and contained a large cavity and bronchopulmonary fistula. Thereafter, antileukemic therapy was resumed and completed without recurrence of mucormycosis or leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS:

In the management of mucormycosis, the addition of G-CSF to the conventional treatment may substantially improve outcome.

• Authors: T Fukushima, R Sumazaki, M Shibasaki, H Saitoh, Y Fujigaki, M Kaneko, E Akaogi, K Mitsui, T Ogata, H Takita
• Journal: Cancer (Cancer) Vol. 76 Issue 5 Pg. 895-9 (Sep 01 1995) ISSN: 0008-543X [Print] United States
• PMID: 8625195 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
• Amphotericin B

Topics

• Adolescent
• Amphotericin B (therapeutic use)
• Antifungal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Lung Diseases, Fungal (complications, diagnostic imaging, therapy)
• Mucormycosis (complications, diagnostic imaging, therapy)
• Opportunistic Infections (complications, diagnostic imaging, therapy)
• Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma (complications)
• Thoracic Diseases (complications, diagnostic imaging, therapy)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed