A rare cause of hemoptysis

• Main Authors: Meghan Aversa, Sacha Bhinder, Jeffrey Tanguay, John Thenganatt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014-01-01
• Series: Respiratory Medicine Case Reports
• Subjects: Metastatic angiosarcoma; Diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213007114000410

Angiosarcomas are rare, malignant, endothelial-cell tumors of vascular origin that can arise at any body site. They frequently metastasize to the lung, heralded by dyspnea, hemoptysis, chest pain, pneumothoraces, and diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage. However, in most cases lung metastases are discovered after the diagnosis of a primary angiosarcoma has already been established. Very rarely will an undiagnosed metastatic angiosarcoma present as diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage. We describe the case of a 59-year-old male who presented to hospital with dyspnea and hemoptysis. CT chest revealed rapidly progressing nodular changes and broncho-alveolar lavage returns were progressively bloody. Open lung wedge biopsy ultimately revealed metastatic angiosarcoma and extensive pulmonary hemorrhage. Our case highlights the key clinical, radiological, and pathological features of this rare malignancy that frequently metastasizes to the lung and reminds clinicians to consider it as a cause of hemoptysis and pulmonary hemorrhage.