04-09-2011, 11:31 AM
A 66-year-old man presents with new-onset weight gain, excessive sweating, and increased fatigue. His only significant past medical history is a bout of uncomplicated pneumonia several years ago. On physical examination, his voice sounds hoarse, which he attributes to his 2-packs per day smoking habit for the last 25 years, and there are purple markings over his abdomen. Dexamethasone suppression test is abnormal, bilateral adrenal CT scan is negative. Chest X-ray reveals a left lung mass adjacent to the hilum. Assuming that a lung neoplasm is responsible for his symptoms, what is this patient's most likely prognosis?
A. Benign course
B. Good prognosis with surgery
C. Good prognosis due to low incidence of metastatic spread
D. Poor prognosis due to likely metastatic spread to distant sites
E. Prognosis comparable to squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
A. Benign course
B. Good prognosis with surgery
C. Good prognosis due to low incidence of metastatic spread
D. Poor prognosis due to likely metastatic spread to distant sites
E. Prognosis comparable to squamous cell carcinoma of the lung