[Spontaneous pneumothorax as the initial symptom of bronchial cancer]

Spontaneous pneumothorax is caused by benign lung diseases in more than 95 percent. Mainly presenting in younger male patients between 20 and 40 years of age its prognosis is generally good.--On the other hand, pneumothorax as initial manifestation of bronchial carcinoma is a rare complication with poor prognosis. We report such a case of a 70 year-old man, review the literature and describe characteristical problems in diagnosis and therapy of very small bronchogenic tumors. Estimating that only 2 percent of all spontaneous pneumothoraces are coexisted with malignant lung diseases--either primary or secondary--this tumor-complication especially must be considered in older patients. Their prognosis may be improved entirely by rapid diagnosis and therapy.