Tracheal tumors are rare and can be difficult to diagnose due to their capacity to mimic other obstructive lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD. We report the case of a female patient with a tracheal tumor. She had previously been treated for asthma and COPD, with little response to the treatment. The onset of infectious complications prompted further investigation. Chest CT images suggested the presence of a tumor, which was confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The tumor was endoscopically resected. However, the patient evolved to death due to pneumonia and septic shock.

Keywords: Lipoma; Lung diseases, obstructive; Tracheal neoplasms.

In this study, we report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a patient presenting respiratory symptoms and a lung mass on the chest X-ray. The patient had no concomitant diseases, was seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus and was not receiving immunosuppressive therapy of any kind. The diagnosis was confirmed through transbronchial biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage. The patient was treated as an outpatient with fluconazole (300 mg/day for six months), evolving to clinical improvement and partial regression of the lung mass, as seen on a second chest X-ray. The current case illustrates an unusual presentation of pulmonary cryptococcosis and raises questions regarding the therapeutic approaches proposed in the literature.

Keywords: Cryptococcosis; Lung diseases, fungal; Lung/radiography; Immunocompetence