[An autopsy case of gastric cancer presenting as acute respiratory failure due to pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy with concomitant high serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor-D].

Abstract

A 49-year-old man consulted our hospital several days after the onset of dyspnea and was admitted because it rapidly exacerbated 9 days after presentation. Diffuse centrilobular micronodular shadows and diffuse opacities in all lung fields were noted on high-resolution computed tomography of the chest. Severe pulmonary hypertension and dilatation of the right ventricle was observed on echocardiography. Although there was no evidence of thrombus in the central portion of the pulmonary artery or deep veins of the lower limbs, the patient's respiratory insufficiency rapidly progressed and he died about 14 hours after admission. A postmortem examination revealed widespread gastric cancer and tumor emboli in the pulmonary arterioles, complicated with intraluminal organization, which is consistent with pulmonary-tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM). His serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) was elevated, but VEGF-D was not detected by immunohistological staining. A possible pathophysiological association with PTTM and VEGF-D should be examined in future studies.