Acute Pancoast's syndrome caused by fungal infection

Nonmalignant causes of Pancoast's syndrome are extremely rare. The authors report the case of a 32-year-old man, receiving treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who had a clinical picture resembling that of Pancoast's syndrome. Invasive mucormycosis was diagnosed as the cause of the syndrome at emergency thoracotomy undertaken to control massive hemoptysis. In spite of adequate treatment, the patient died 5 weeks postoperatively of overwhelming sepsis. A review of the literature disclosed only two other similar cases. The authors conclude that the development of Pancoast's syndrome in the immunosuppressed patient should raise suspicion of an invasive fungal infection. A precise early diagnosis may allow successful, specific antifungal therapy to be instituted.