Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy pathogenesis:: a case highlighting the potential role for cyclo-oxygenase-2-derived prostaglandin E2

Background A 65-year-old woman presented with weakness, 9 kg weight loss, dysphagia, facial and bilateral upper-extremity swelling, and debilitating, bilateral lower-extremity pain. The patient had undergone a right upper lobectomy for a 5 mm, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung 4 years previously. Medical history included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema), hypertension, cerebrovascular disease and multinodular goiter. Surgical history included a right carotid endarterectomy. The patient's history was remarkable for 50+ pack-years of smoking. Investigations Physical examination, comprehensive metabolic panel and complete blood counts, CT, bone scintigraphy, quantification of urinary 11 alpha-hydroxy-9,15-dioxo-2,3,4,5-tetranor-prostane-1,20-dioic acid (also known as PGE-M). Diagnosis Recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer with adrenal metastasis, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with non-small-cell lung cancer, and hyperprostaglandinuria. Management Rofecoxib 25 mg daily for hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, palliative external-beam radiation (44 Gy in 22 fractions) for mediastinal mass, palliative external-beam radiation (30 Gy in 12 fractions), followed 2 years later with radiofrequency ablation, for left adrenal metastasis.