Pulmonary tumor embolism as an initial manifestation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pulmonary tumor embolism is a rare syndrome caused by migration of tumoral emboli into the pulmonary arteries. These tumor emboli may form a fibrin-platelet thrombi, resulting in pulmonary-artery hypertension and subsequent right-heart failure. Establishing this diagnosis can be very difficult, and most cases are diagnosed during autopsy,1 although a history of cancer may be a predictor. We report a case of pulmonary tumor embolism as the initial presentation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which developed into pulmonary-artery hypertension and fatal right-heart failure.