A case of pulmonary tuberculosis in a long-term survivor with small cell carcinoma of the lung

A 64-year-old woman complained of chest pain, back pain and dry cough. Chest X-ray film showed marked left hilar enlargement and left pleural effusion. Biopsy of the bronchial mucosa and demonstrated small cell carcinoma of the lung. Treatment with cisplatin, adriamycin and etoposide led to regression of symptoms and chest X-ray findings within 3 months. She received maintenance chemotherapies at the outpatient clinic for 2 years after the first therapy. Thirty-months after the first admission, chest X-ray film showed multiple small nodules in the left upper lobe. Chest tomography and high-resolution computed tomography showed acinar or lobular nodules disseminated in the left upper lobe. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the left upper lobe. Pulmonary tuberculosis in a long-term survivor of small cell carcinoma of the lung is very rare.