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Pancoast syndrome

Dr Frank Gaillard et al.

The Pancoast syndrome results from involvement of brachial plexus and sympathetic chain by a Pancoast tumour, or less commonly from other tumours involving the superior pulmonary sulcus. The syndrome consists of:

shoulder pain
C8 - T2 radicular pain
Horner syndrome

The classical syndrome is uncommon, with the Horner syndrome present in only 25%.

Etymology

Pancoast syndrome as a result of superior sulcus tumours was described in a number of publications (Hare 1838 and Ciuffini in 1911) before Pancoast reported it using the term 'superior pulmonary sulcus tumour' ².