Prostate Cancer with Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastasis Diagnosed by Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: A Case Report

Abstract

Prostate cancer metastases usually involve the skeletal system or regional lymph nodes. Mediastinal lymph node metastases are rare in prostate cancer, and may develop at presentation or during treatment. Before the introduction of endobronchial ultrasonography, invasive procedures such as mediastinoscopy or thoracoscopy were required for the definite diagnosis. With the application of convex probe endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), the etiology of mediastinal lymphadenopathy can be confirmed and more invasive methods avoided. We described a 67-year-old man with prostate cancer who subsequently developed mediastinal lymph node metastases and pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis during the treatment course. The diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastases was confirmed by EBUS-TBNA. We concluded that mediastinal lymph node metastases could develop in prostate cancer and could be confirmed by EBUS-TBNA.