What is a superior sulcus tumor?
Superior sulcus tumor (or Pancoast tumor ) usually refers to a primary lung cancer that is located in the lung apex and often involves the adjacent pleura, chest wall, brachial plexus, or subclavian vessels. Superior sulcus tumors can manifest clinically as chest, shoulder, and arm pain with paresthesias, along with Horner syndrome (ipsilateral ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis) caused by invasion of the stellate ganglion. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common subtype responsible, and adenocarcinoma is the second most common.