title: Pulmonary function in thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the lung.
abstract: Pulmonary testing was carried out in 12 of 35 consecutive cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the lung, which were identified in a retrospective analysis covering the 22-yr period from 1962-1984. In 7 of the 12 patients, pulmonary function tests showed abnormalities. Impaired pulmonary function was associated with a poor prognosis. Four of the twelve patients died; each had impaired pulmonary function and their ages (12-65 yr) were similar to those still living (13-65 yr). Specific types of functional abnormalities were not associated with pulmonary metastases, and underlying pulmonary disease contributed to the findings in some patients. Four patterns were defined on chest radiographs: macronodular, micronodular, miliary, and normal, but these patterns did not correlate with outcome. Scintiscan patterns varied from normal to diffuse concentration of 131I. Generally, following therapy with radioiodine, fewer abnormalities on chest x-ray and less uptake of 131I in the lungs was noted. However, therapy with radioiodine did not improve pulmonary function. Pulmonary function testing appears to be a better predictor of outcome in patients with thyroid carcinoma metastatic to lung than chest x-ray appearance or scintigraphic scanning.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes