Acute mesenteric ischemia leading to diagnosis of advanced spindle cell carcinoma of the lung

Acute ischemic events secondary to pulmonary malignancy are rare. Those who present with acute peripheral arterial occlusions from malignant sources will typically have advanced pulmonary malignancy or myxomatous tumors. A 79-year-old woman had presented to Vancouver General Hospital with acute mesenteric ischemia. The pathology reports after embolectomy indicated cell morphology consistent with spindle cell carcinoma of the lung. Imaging investigations revealed a right upper lobe mass not present on chest imaging studies performed 14 months previously. The findings from the present report serves to remind us that acute ischemic events in the setting of no known history of malignancy or cardiac disease should prompt investigations into possible malignant sources.