Endoscopic Endobronchial Metastasis

• Published in: Nihon Kyōbu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 609 - 613
• Main Authors: Yamada, Keiko, Nagasawa, Masaki, Satoh, Tohru, Tsukamoto, Tomei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japanese Respiratory Society 01.04.1992
• Subjects: Aged; Bronchoscopic findings; Bronchoscopy; Colonic Neoplasms - pathology; Endobronchial Metastasis; Endoscopic Endobronchial Metastasis; Humans; Kidney Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - secondary; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Metastatic pulmonary tumor; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Tongue Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0301-1542; 1883-471X
• DOI: 10.11389/jjrs1963.30.609

Although the incidence of endobronchial metastasis in cases of extrathoracic tumors is 2 to 5 percent in autopsy reports, it is about 30 percent according to endoscopic examination (so-called endoscopic endobronchial metastasis). To confirm the nature of endoscopic endobronchial metastasis, we reviewed the records from 1980 to 1990, presuming the primary foci of metastasis. Of the 36 patients with metastatic pulmonary tumor, 6 (16.7%) were diagnosed as having endobronchial metastasis endoscopically. The primary tumors were colonic cancer (2), prostatic cancer (2), cancer of the tongue (1), and renal cell carcinoma (1). The chest X-ray findings were nodular shadow (3), atelectasis (2), and hilar lymphadenopathy with atelectasis (1). Three patients were treated by lobectomy and the others by systemic therapy alone. The presumed primary foci of metastasis were peripheral lung (3), mediastinal lymph node (1), and undetermined (2). The results of the present study suggest that so-called endoscopic endobronchial metastasis does not necessarily imply metastasis to the bronchial wall.