Pancoast tumor
Overview
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
of the pulmonary
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
apex. It is a type of lung cancer defined primarily by its location situated at the top end of either the right or left lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
. It typically spreads to nearby tissues such as the ribs and vertebrae. Most Pancoast tumors are non-small cell cancers.
The growing tumor can cause compression of a brachiocephalic vein
Brachiocephalic vein
The left and right brachiocephalic veins in the upper chest are formed by the union of each corresponding internal jugular vein and subclavian vein...
, subclavian artery
Subclavian artery
In human anatomy, the subclavian arteries are two major arteries of the upper thorax , below the clavicle . They receive blood from the top of the aorta...
, phrenic nerve
Phrenic nerve
The phrenic nerve originates mainly from the 4th cervical nerve, but also receives contributions from the 5th and 3rd cervical nerves in humans....
, recurrent laryngeal nerve
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
The recurrent laryngeal nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve that supplies motor function and sensation to the larynx . It travels within the endoneurium...
, vagus nerve
Vagus nerve
The vagus nerve , also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X, is the tenth of twelve paired cranial nerves...
, or, characteristically, compression of a sympathetic
Sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system is one of the three parts of the autonomic nervous system, along with the enteric and parasympathetic systems. Its general action is to mobilize the body's nervous system fight-or-flight response...
ganglion
Ganglion
In anatomy, a ganglion is a biological tissue mass, most commonly a mass of nerve cell bodies. Cells found in a ganglion are called ganglion cells, though this term is also sometimes used to refer specifically to retinal ganglion cells....
resulting in a range of symptoms known as Horner's syndrome
Horner's syndrome
Horner's syndrome is the combination of drooping of the eyelid and constriction of the pupil , sometimes accompanied by decreased sweating of the face on the same side; redness of the conjunctiva of the eye is often also present...
.
Pancoast tumors are named for Henry Pancoast
Henry Pancoast
Henry Khunrath Pancoast was an American radiologist after whom a type of lung tumor is named .Pancoast was born in Philadelphia to prominent Quaker parents; his father was a doctor. He was educated at the Friends Central High School...
, a US radiologist, who described them in 1924 and 1932.
Aside from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
general symptoms such as malaise, fever, weight loss and fatigue, Pancoast tumor can include a complete Horner's syndrome
Horner's syndrome
Horner's syndrome is the combination of drooping of the eyelid and constriction of the pupil , sometimes accompanied by decreased sweating of the face on the same side; redness of the conjunctiva of the eye is often also present...
in severe cases: miosis
Miosis
Miosis is the constriction of the pupil of the eye to two millimeters or less...
(constriction of the pupils), anhidrosis
Anhidrosis
Anhidrosis means lack of sweating. It is also known by a number of other names including Adiaphoresis, Ischidrosis, Hypohidrosis, Oligidria, Oligohidrosis and Sweating deficiency.-Causes:...
(lack of sweating), ptosis
Ptosis
Ptosis refers to droopiness of a body part. Specifically, it can refer to:* Ptosis * Ptosis * Enteroptosis * Gastroptosis...
(drooping of the eyelid) and enophthalmos
Enophthalmos
Enophthalmos is the recession of the eyeball within the orbit.It may be a congenital anomaly, or be acquired as a result of trauma , Horner's syndrome, silent sinus syndrome, or phthisis bulbi....
(sunken eyeball).
