title: Extrathoracic staging of non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma: relationship of the clinical evaluation to organ scans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the value of systemic evaluation of extrathoracic extension of non-small cell lung cancer and to assess the value of the clinical evaluation in detecting extrathoracic metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 90 patients [87 men, three women; mean age 57.5 years (range 28-76)] with potentially resectable non-small cell carcinoma. Fifty-two were squamous cell carcinomas and 38 were adenocarcinomas. Organ-specific and non-organ-specific clinical findings suggesting metastases were analysed and computed tomographic scans of the brain and abdomen and whole-body bone scanning were performed in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Extrathoracic metastases were detected in 23 (25.5%) of 90 patients. The metastases were located in the following areas: brain (n = 12, 13.3%); bone (n = 9, 10%); liver (n = 5, 5.6%); and adrenal gland (n = 5, 5.5%). Histological analysis revealed metastases in 21.1% (11/52) of the squamous cell carcinomas and 31.6% (12/38) of the adenocarcinomas (P > 0.05). Eleven (47.8%) of the 23 patients with extrathoracic metastases had no organ-specific clinical findings suggesting metastases. Eight patients with squamous cell carcinomas were intrathoracic T1N0 stage and in two (25%) of these patients extrathoracic metastases were detected. These patients had no organ-specific or non-organ-specific clinical factors suggesting metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evaluation of extrathoracic extension should be routinely performed in all patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer. This approach will prevent many unnecessary thoracotomies.
authors.affiliation: SSK Süreyyapasa Center for Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevinç
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bilgin
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Esen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akkaya
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karakurt
authors.forename: Arman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poluman
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed