Cannonball Lung Metastases from A Retroperitoneal Sarcoma

Author(s): Paulo Luz, Júlio Lemos Teixeira, Pedro Mendonça

Sarcomas constitute a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, but with a very aggressive evolution in most cases. Presented, is the case of a male patient, 69 years old, with several emergency room visits in the past two months due to lumbar back pain complaints. Having presented a positive Murphy sign in his last visit to the Emergency Department, patient underwent renal ultrasound, showing the presence of a large hypoechogenic mass pushing the right kidney forwards. A thoracoabdominal-pelvic computed tomography scan was performed and showed a large mass in the retroperitoneum. A biopsy of the mass was performed revealing it to be a dedifferentiated liposarcoma. We presented the chest X-ray repeated after 18 days, showing an increase in pulmonary metastatic lesions. The patient died one month after the biopsy procedure. Since these cancers are rare, difficult to diagnose and treat, a collaborative effort from a team comprising of a surgical oncologist, a pathologist, a radiologist, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist and a palliative care specialist are mandatory for a positive outcome.

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