Rapidly Progressive Diffuse Alveolar Damage Following Transbronchial Lung Biopsy in a Patient with Lung...

An 80-year-old man with a persistent cough underwent chest computed tomography, which revealed a pulmonary mass with subtle ground-glass opacities. A transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. Shortly after bronchoscopy, the patient developed rapidly progressive hypoxemic respiratory failure, consistent with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Despite treatment with antibiotics and systemic corticosteroids, the patient died. The autopsy revealed adenocarcinoma with lymphangitic carcinomatosis and diffuse alveolar damage throughout both lungs, the latter being considered the immediate cause of death. This case indicates that diffuse alveolar damage-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome may occur even in treatment-naïve lung cancer patients.