Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy due to Advanced Gastric Cancer with Virchow's Node Metastasis

Int Heart J. 2018 Mar 30;59(2):443-447. doi: 10.1536/ihj.17-249. Epub 2018 Mar 5.

Abstract

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a fatal cancer-related complication characterized by severe progressive pulmonary hypertension. Antemortem diagnosis is difficult owing to the rapid progression of the condition, especially when the patient has no known malignancies and initially presents with pulmonary hypertension. Here we report a case of PTTM due to occult gastric cancer with metastasis in the left supraclavicular lymph node, also known as Virchow's node. Enlarged Virchow's node is an important indicator of advanced gastric cancer. In patients with progressive pulmonary hypertension of unknown origin, enlarged Virchow's node can be an important indicator for the diagnosis of PTTM.

Keywords: Metastatic cancer; Pulmonary hypertension.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / etiology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Thrombotic Microangiopathies / diagnostic imaging
  • Thrombotic Microangiopathies / etiology*