Neoplasm (tumor or cancer) of lungs are many types.
Pancoast tumor is a special type of apical lung tumor (Tumor at the apex of lung)
Apical neoplasms may invade the brachial or cervical sympathetic plexus to cause severe pain in the distribution of the ulnar nerve or to produce Horner syndrome. Such apical neoplasms are sometimes referred to as Pancoast tumors. and combination of clinical findings is called Pancoast Syndrome
Symptoms of Horner's syndrome:
- Ipsilateral enophthalmos (enophthalmos is a condition in which eye ball falls back into the socket and ipsilateral means means of affected side. For example if left sympathetic plexus is damaged, left eye will sink into the orbit)
- Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
- Miosis (contracted pupil)
- Anhidrosis (Lack of sweating)
Pancoast tumor is often accompanied by destruction of first and second rib and sometimes thoracic vertebreae.
Reference: Robbins Basic Pathology
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