A case of juvenile lung cancer with suspected progeroid syndrome and mental retardation

: A 28-year old woman developed juvenile lung cancer. Cockayne syndrome, one of the progeroid syndromes, was suspected because of mental retardation, renal disfunction, photosensitivity, and the characteristic physical appearance such as low set ears, microcephaly, senile face, short stature, and cachectic habitus. We tried chemotherapy with gefitinib and docetaxel, but they were ineffective and she was found to have multiple extraocular muscle metastasis. CT scan showed carcinomatous lymphangiosis findings, her respiratory condition worsened gradually and she died about 7 months after the diagnosis of lung cancer. Some progeroid syndromes are known for their high incidence of juvenile cancres, and the responsible genes are gradually coming to light. However, concerning the relationship between lung cancer and progeroid syndromes, our investigations revealed only one case report of Werner syndrome, one of the progeroid syndromes, accompanied by lung cancer. Progeroid syndromes with lung cancer are thought to be very rare. We expect collection of data on cases like the present case will help to clarify the mechanism of aging and carcinogenesis.