Pancoast Tumor - Symptoms

Symptoms

Aside from cancer general symptoms such as malaise, fever, weight loss and fatigue, Pancoast tumour can include a complete Horner's syndrome in severe cases: miosis (constriction of the pupils), anhidrosis (lack of sweating), ptosis (drooping of the eyelid) and enophthalmos (sunken eyeball). In progressive cases, the brachial plexus is also affected, causing pain and weakness in the muscles of the arm and hand (thoracic outlet syndrome). The tumour can also compress the recurrent laryngeal nerve and from this a hoarse voice and bovine cough may occur.

In superior vena cava syndrome, obstruction of the superior vena cava by a tumour (mass effect) causes facial swelling cyanosis and dilatation of the veins of the head and neck.

A Pancoast tumour is an apical tumour that is typically found in conjunction with a smoking history. The clinical signs and symptoms can be confused with neurovascular compromise at the level of the superior thoracic aperture. The patient's smoking history, rapid onset of clinical signs and symptoms and pleuritic pain can suggest an apical tumour. A Pancoast tumor can give rise to both Pancoast syndrome and Horner's syndrome. When the brachial plexus roots are involved it will produce Pancoast syndrome; involvement of sympathetic fibres as they exit the cord at T1 and ascend to the superior cervical ganglion will produce Horner's syndrome.