An Unusual Presentation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Never Smoker: A Case Report

Abstract

Lung Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer found among smokers. However, approximately 10% of lung cancer patients are non-smokers. Non-smokers are frequently seen developing Adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell carcinoma with a female predominance. The incidence of Squamous cell carcinoma among non-smokers is very low. Moreover, studies have shown that tetra site metastasis in the case of Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is almost as rare as 0.6% [1]. The authors report here in this article a case report of a rare and aggressive presentation of Squamous cell carcinoma in a non-smoker. This is a case of a 50-year-old male patient who is a non-smoker, presented with complaints of exertional dyspnoea and cough with expectoration for 3 months which had aggravated since 15 days, associated with hoarseness of voice and diffuse headache since 15 days. There was a history of significant weight loss and loss of appetite for 3 months. CECT thorax revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass lesion in the anterior segment of the left upper lobe encasing the left pulmonary artery with evidence of liver, adrenal and vertebral metastasis. During the hospital stay, the patient developed complete ptosis of the right eye. MRI brain was done which showed features suggestive of metastasis involving bilateral cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres. USG guided lung biopsy was done and was suggestive of moderately differentiated Squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was planned to be further worked up for IHC markers and PET CT scan to determine the further line of treatment however, unfortunately, the patient succumbed to the disease within 1 week of histopathological diagnosis.