Tuberc Respir Dis.  2010 Jul;69(1):48-51.

A Case of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis with Elevated Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

• Yang MY
• Ryu YS
• Ko HJ
• Park SK
• Park JS
• Park CS
• Park JS
• Bak SH
• Ko ES
• Park JM

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology. The characteristic pathological finding is the presence of non-caseating granulomas. The lungs are primarily affected, however other organs may be involved causing various symptoms and ambiguous laboratory findings can be present. There are a few reported cases of sarcoidosis with elevated tumor markers. We describe a 68-year-old woman presenting with sarcoidosis showing elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The possibility of cancer arising from serum CEA such as gastrointestinal cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer was excluded. A transbronchial lung biopsy demonstrated a non-caseating granuloma without necrosis. As a result prescribed 30 mg prednisolone daily to the patient and serum CEA was decreased after 1 month of treatment. We report a case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with elevated serum CEA.

Keyword

Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary; Tumor Markers, Biological; Carcinoembryonic Antigen

MeSH Terms

Aged
Biopsy
Breast Neoplasms
Carcinoembryonic Antigen
Female
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
Granuloma
Humans
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Necrosis
Prednisolone
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary
Biomarkers, Tumor
Carcinoembryonic Antigen
Prednisolone

Figure

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  Figure 1 Chest radiograph shows a bilateral hilar enlargement and no parenchymal lesions.

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  Figure 2 Chest CT scan with enhancement shows enlarged lymph nodes at both hilum, both paratracheal, left paraaotic, AP window and subcarinal nodal station.

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  Figure 3 PET-CT scan reveals multiple increased FDG uptake in bilateral mediastinal, hilar, and portocaval nodal station (maximum SUV: 5.06).

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  Figure 4 Transbronchial lung biopsy shows a discrete non-caseating granuloma (H&E stain, ×100).

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