Squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Patterns of thoracic metastases.
OBJECTIVE
Distant metastasis of cervical cancer, once considered rather uncommon, has become more common in recent years because of longer survival of the patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiographic patterns of its thoracic metastases correlating with the pathways of metastatic tumor spread.


METHODS
The conventional radiographs (62 cases), thoracic computed tomography images (20 cases), and medical records of 62 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix with thoracic metastases who died of extensive disease and its complications during a recent 5-year period were reviewed retrospectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to the most typical pattern of multiple pulmonary nodules (71%), mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy (32%) and pleural metastases (27%) were frequently observed. Rare findings included bone metastases (6%), endobronchial obstruction (5%), and lymphangitic carcinomatosis (3%). The mechanisms of metastasis in relation to the above manifestations are proposed.
Shin
M S
MS
Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
Shingleton
H M
HM
Partridge
E E
EE
Nicolson
V M
VM
Ho
K J
KJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*