[A case report of cavitary bronchial carcinoma with intracavitary aspergillosis]

A 64-year-old male with cavitary bronchial carcinoma underwent right middle and lower lobectomy. The presence of a mural nodule in the cavity suggested that the cancer originated from the bulla wall. Histologically, adenocarcinoma was found to invade the entire cavity wall, and aspergillus was detected in the intracavitary space. Of 6 patients with cavitary bronchiolar carcinoma with intracavitary aspergillosis reported in Japan including this case, 3 were treated for aspergillus before operation because X-ray had revealed fungus ball shadow. Although the mechanism by which aspergillus infects patients with cavitary bronchial carcinoma is not precisely known, it is suggested that this type of carcinoma originates from the bulla wall and that there is considerable time for infection with aspergillus to develop.