Indomethacin therapy for hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma

Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPO) is a disabling complication of lung cancer often requiring thoracotomy with vagotomy for control of pain. This condition was confirmed by scintigraphy in six consecutive patients with biopsy-proved lung cancer. All had characteristic bone and joint pain unresponsive to a variety of analgesics. Treatment with indomethacin gave dramatic relief of pain within 72 hours in all six. Consideration should be given to instituting a controlled trial to establish the efficacy of indomethacin for the treatment of HPO.