Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with expectoration of a lump of metastatic renal cancer

The case report of a patient known to have metastatic renal cancer and right main bronchus obstruction is presented. During an episode of haemoptysis, the patient expectorated a large fragment of tissue, which proved to be metastatic renal cell cancer. This event produced a right-sided hydropneumothorax with partial re-expansion of the previously collapsed right lung. A chest tube was inserted producing a full re-expansion, following which pleurodesis with tetracycline was performed. To our knowledge, this is the first ever description of spontaneous clearance of a malignant bronchial obstruction.