Recovery of temperature to normal may indicate the best time for surgery in patients with lung cancer complicated by a lung abscess: A case report

In clinical practice, the management of a lung abscess (LA) usually initiates with antibiotic administration to address the infection. Nevertheless, for cases presenting with refractory pulmonary tumors complicated by a LA, surgical intervention stands as an essential therapeutic recourse. The current study presents case involving lung cancer complicated by a LA. Despite continuously elevated infection marker levels, surgical intervention was promptly performed following the normalization of the patient's temperature. Subsequent postoperative histopathological analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed a moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma located in the lower right lung, classified as T2aN0M0, Ib stage. Following a 2-year follow-up period, no cancer recurrence was observed and the patient exhibited a favorable prognosis. This case highlights the vital role of surgical timing in the management of lung cancer complicated by an acute LA. Early surgical intervention may play a crucial role in arresting the advancement of lung cancer, indicating that prompt surgery upon temperature normalization could serve as a significant treatment indication for these patients.