Tumor Embolism as a Cause of an Unexpected Death: A Case Report

Authors: Graß H.¹; Schuff A.²; Staak M.¹; Dienes H.P.³; von Both I.³

Source: Pathology Research and Practice, Volume 199, Number 5, July 2003 , pp. 349-352(4)

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Abstract:

The primary causes of deaths for individuals with rare cancers can be difficult to diagnose clinically. Often, the symptoms implicate a variety of factors, and an autopsy is thus required to obtain the correct diagnosis. This study analyzes the death of a 45-year-old woman who reportedly died from an acute pulmonary dysfunction. The patient had been treated with antibiotics for three months for intractable pneumonia. Suspicious coin lesions detected by chest X-ray prompted a clinical clarification; however, no final diagnosis was made. The autopsy revealed a bulky thyroid tumor with venous invasion, leading to a massive pulmonary tumor embolism. Furthermore, microscopy identified the tumor as a rare pleomorphic myxoid sarcoma. Thus, the patient died of a large pulmonary tumor embolism originating from this rare sarcoma, and not of acute pulmonary dysfunction of any other means.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1078/0344-0338-00429

Affiliations: 1: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany 2: Institute of Forensic Medicine and Traffic Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany 3: Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Germany

Publication date: 2003-07-01