A case of destroyed lung caused by a chronic lymphocytic leukemia with mass effect

Abstract

Tuberculosis and bronchiectasis are the most common causes of the destroyed lung. Mediastinal masses, which cause bronchial compression, can also cause bronchiectasis. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common subtype of leukemia, and it can rarely cause bronchiectasis and destroyed lungs by causing a mass effect in the mediastinum. A 50-year-old female patient with a history of tuberculosis in her childhood admitted to our clinic with dyspnea, cough, and chest pain. During the clinical examinations, a solid mass with approximately 46x33 mm in size was observed in the posterior mediastinum, compressing the left main bronchus and the entire left lung was destroyed. Since the patient had no definite diagnosis and was symptomatic, a surgical treatment was planned, and left pneumonectomy was performed together with mediastinal mass excision. As a result of the extracted specimen histopathology, bronchiectasis was present, and the mediastinal mass was consistent with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The patient did not experience any postoperative complications and was referred to the oncology clinic for follow-up and treatment. Herein, we aimed to present a case with chronic lymphocytic leukemia mass in the posterior mediastinum compressing the left main bronchus, which caused bronchiectasis and destroyed lung with the literature’s accompaniment.