Lung cancer diagnosed with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or nontuberculosis mycobacteria concomitantly

The concomitant occurrence of disease of Mycobacterium tuberculosis or nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) and lung cancer has been reported in previous studies. We aimed to determine characteristics of the patients with lung cancer diagnosed with M. tuberculosis or NTM concomitantly.

From 2010 to 2015, the patients diagnosed with lung cancer and M. tuberculosis or NTM concomitantly were enrolled in the study. Patient data were collected retrospectively.

Concomitant M. tuberculosis or NTM and lung cancer were diagnosed in 17 cases (1.2% of total lung cancer cases, 0.9% of total tuberculosis cases). M. tuberculosis was isolated from 11 (64.8%) patients and NTM disease was from 6 (35.2%) patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histological type. Tumoral stage was often advanced as stage III- IV (76.5%). Bronchial lavage smear positivity foracid-fast bacilli was found only in 4 (23.5%) patients. Tuberculosis treatment therapy was started only in 4 (23.5%) patients who had bronchial lavage smear positivity for acid-fast bacilli. So tuberculosis treatment was delayed for other 13 (76.5%) patients with bronchial lavage smear negative for acid-fast bacilli. Seven out of 17 (41.1%) patients died.

Physicians should consider concomitant M. tuberculosis or NTM when managing lung cancer. Tuberculosis patients may be mis diagnosed as lung cancer or vice versa.