Respiratory failure due to pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis.

A man with primary lung cancer developed respiratory failure due to lymphangitis carcinomatosis that was diagnosed by transbronchial lung biopsy specimen. After combination chemotherapy with high-dose etoposide and cisplatin (CDDP), he was able to cease oxygen therapy and showed improvement of his lymphangitis carcinomatosis. He received a total dose of 13,400 mg/m2 of etoposide. This case suggested that respiratory failure due to lymphangitis carcinomatosis can be a treatable condition.