Jaundice and Higher Procalcitonin Level Revealing a Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Pancreatic Metastasis: A Case Report From Eastern Morocco

TL;DR

A rare case of small-cell lung cancer with pancreatic metastasis and high procalcitonin levels is reported, highlighting diagnostic challenges and treatment response.

Contribution

This case report presents a rare combination of jaundice, high procalcitonin, and pancreatic metastasis in small-cell lung cancer.

Findings

Pancreatic metastasis in SCLC is uncommon and challenging to diagnose.

The patient showed a significant response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Procalcitonin may be a marker of paraneoplastic syndrome in this context.

Abstract

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly aggressive, with a severe tendency for metastasis. Pancreatic metastasis in SCLC is uncommon, also jaundice as a major symptom of small-cell lung cancer is even rarer. The diagnosis of pancreatic metastasis is a real challenge for the medical team, it relies on both radiological and pathological details. We report a case of a 58-year-old male admitted for SCLC with pancreatic metastasis and a higher level of procalcitonin. He received platinum-based chemotherapy with a swell response. The focus of this study will be on the characteristics of pancreatic metastasis, along with their diagnosis and treatment approaches. Procalcitonin as a paraneoplastic syndrome will also be discussed in this study.

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