Gastrointestinal metastasis of lung cancer with special emphasis on a long-term survivor after operation

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology Vol. 135; no. 2; pp. 297 - 301
• Main Authors: Kim, Min Soo, Kook, Eun Hee, Ahn, Se Han, Jeon, Se Young, Yoon, Jung Ho, Han, Min Sung, Kim, Cheol Hyeon, Lee, Jae Cheol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer Research; Clinical outcomes; Colonic Neoplasms - mortality; Colonic Neoplasms - pathology; Colonic Neoplasms - secondary; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - mortality; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - pathology; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - secondary; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intestinal Neoplasms - mortality; Intestinal Neoplasms - pathology; Intestinal Neoplasms - secondary; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Medical prognosis; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis - pathology; Oncology; Original Paper; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumology; Retrospective Studies; Smoking - epidemiology; Stomach Neoplasms - mortality; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach Neoplasms - secondary; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Survivors; Tumors; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Small bowel metastasis; Long-term survivor; Gastrointestinal metastasis; Lung cancer; Human; Lung disease; Stomach; Digestive system; Respiratory disease; Survivor; Gastrointestinal cancer; Malignant tumor; Operation; Gastrointestinal; Small intestine; Long term; Bronchopulmonary; Lung cancer, Gastrointestinal metastasis; Lung metastasis; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Bronchus disease; Cancer; Gastric disease
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-008-0424-0

Purpose The aim of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of gastrointestinal metastasis from lung cancer, with special emphasis on a long-term survivor after surgery. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients diagnosed with lung cancer between 2000 and 2007 at a tertiary referral center for cancer. Results Gastrointestinal metastases were detected in 10 (0.19%) of 5,239 lung cancer patients. Small bowel metastases occurred in one-half of the patients, making it the most common metastatic site. One patient underwent emergency surgery because of an intestinal perforation. Although a perforation developed only in this patient, surgical intervention was required for five other patients to relieve intestinal obstruction or control bleeding. The prognosis was poor, with a median survival of 96.5 days after diagnosis. However, one patient remains alive >5 years post-operatively, without a recurrence, suggesting that surgical resection is an option for cure in properly selected patients. Conclusions Physicians should be familiar with unique features of lung cancer with metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract so as to render early and optimal management.