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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Use of Electromagnetic Navigational Transthoracic Needle Aspiration (E-TTNA) for Sampling of Lung Nodules
Published on: May 23, 2015
Asymptomatic pulmonary nodules in a patient with early-stage breast cancer: Cryptococcus infection
Kuang-Wen Ou1, Kuo-Feng Hsu, Yeung-Leung Cheng
1Division of General Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, 325, Cheng-Kung Rd, Sec. 2, Neihu, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract:
In breast cancer patients, pulmonary nodules are frequently considered a metastatic disease or primary lung tumor. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman with early-stage breast cancer (T1micN0M0) presenting with asymptomatic pulmonary nodules in the left upper lobe at follow-up 6 years after she underwent a mastectomy. A presumptive diagnosis of pulmonary metastasis was made, and the patient underwent a video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy. Pathology showed granulomatous inflammation with Cryptococcus infection. Subsequently, antifungal therapy was prescribed, and full recovery followed. We demonstrate the importance of differentiating between pulmonary Cryptococcus infection and metastasis in breast cancer patients for correct management. The relationship between pulmonary Cryptococcus infection and breast cancer is also discussed.
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