Pulmonary Lesions Associated with Extrapulmonary Malignancies

Abstract

With the progressive increase in the use of aggressive measures to treat primary neoplastic malignancies of the human body, which with few exceptions do not result in a cure, the emergence of pulmonary metastases from extrathoracic tumors has become a major problem. These metastatic pulmonary lesions are often clinically and radiologically indistinguishable from primary lung cancers. Consequently, the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these lesions becomes uncertain.It has been estimated that pulmonary metastases occur in approximately 30% of all extrathoracic malignancies. 1,2 The most common primary sites are the gastrointestinal or genitourinary systems. The adenocarcinomas generally are the most common cell types. 3 The interval between diagnosis and treatment of the primary tumor and the subsequent diagnosis of secondary pulmonary lesions can range from a few months to as long as 17 years. 4 In a recent review of a series of patients who had survived their primary tumors for 5 years the interval between treatment of the primary malignancy and diagnosis of the lung metastases was 0 to 7 years. 3

Endobronchial metastasis: An epidemiologic and clinicopathologic study of 174 consecutive cases

“…Metastatic disease to the lungs is a common occurrence in routine oncologic practice and 20-50% of primary extrapulmonary solid malignancies show pulmonary metastases during their biologic course [1,2]. Among all clinico-radiologic presentations, the finding of metastatic tumors manifesting as endobronchial masses is a rare and possibly underestimated event.…”

A Case of Pulmonary Infiltrates in a Patient with Colon Carcinoma

“…The incidence of endobronchial metastasis is reported to be about 2–28%, with the actual prevalence most likely much higher, as bronchoscopic inspection is not often routinely performed without symptoms or radiographic findings such as in our case [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Endobronchial metastases are most frequently observed in patients with breast, colorectal, and renal cell carcinoma, with colorectal cancer thought responsible for 12–26% [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. According to a classification scheme described by Kiryu et al [ 7 ], the development of endoluminal metastasis has been described to originate from different modes of progression.…”