Delayed diagnosis of endobronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a 29-year-old male

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is an uncommon primary lung tumor. It usually involves large airways and presents clinically and radiologically with nonspecific features. Because of nonspecific presentation diagnosis is frequently delayed. We report the case of a 29-year-old male patient wherein a clinico-radiological consideration of tuberculosis (TB) led to a prolonged treatment with anti-TB medications without response. Flexible bronchoscopic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of MEC following that the patient underwent curative surgical resection.

Keywords

• Bronchoscopy
• endobronchial biopsy
• lung tumors
• mucoepidermoid carcinoma