Superior Sulcus Tumor With 14-Year Survival

Abstract

SINCE Pancoast's description of the superior sulcus tumor syndrome in 1924, there has been general agreement that the overall prognosis for this disease is extremely poor.¹ There have been, however, occasional cases with long-term survival. We have cared for a patient with a superior sulcus tumor who survived 14 years after the onset of symptoms and 12 years after radiation therapy. Report of Case A married, white restaurant operator was first seen at the University of Chicago Clinics at the age of 61 in November of 1951 for a general check-up and because of mild pain in the right shoulder of two months' duration. General physical examination was negative, except for hemorrhoids. The patient had smoked about one package of cigarettes daily for many years. A chest x-ray film showed a slight widening of the right superior mediastinum (interpreted as being of no clinical importance), a congenital fusion of