Miliary pattern due to occupational lung disease in a patient with laryngeal cancer

F. Sampsonas, A. Kaparianos, V. Tzelepi§, V. Zolota§, K. Karkoulias, M. Tsiamita, N. Mastronikolis*, K. Spiropoulos

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pneumology, §Division of Pathology, University Hospital of Rio, Patras *ORL Department, Patras (Greece)

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• Respiratory Medicine

Inhalation of metal dusts and fumes can induce a wide range of respiratory disorders, including granulomatosis, chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary interstitial disease. Laryngeal cancer is the most common cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. We present a patient with occupational lung disease whose chest CT showed miliary nodular pattern, with concurrent laryngeal cancer who had been engaged in type printing for 22 years. Histology of the laryngeal lession showed squamous cell laryngeal cancer. Histology of the nodules showed a foreign body granulomatous response with several foreign body cells, most probably due to exposure to numerous inorganic (lanthanides, elements such us La, Ce, Nd, Sm, EU, Tb, Lu) and organic particles (such us acrylates, epoxy- and urethane-acrylates).

Corresponding Author: Kostas Spiropoulos, MD; e-mail: k-spiropoulos@hotmail.com

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