Trauma-associated growth of suspected dormant micrometastasis.
BACKGROUND
Cancer patients may harbor micrometastases that remain dormant, clinically undetectable during a variable period of time. A traumatic event or surgery may trigger the balance towards tumor growth as a result of associated angiogenesis, cytokine and growth factors release.


METHODS
We describe a patient with non-small lung cancer who had a rapid tumor growth and recurrence at a minor trauma site of his skull bone.


CONCLUSIONS
This case is an illustration of the phenomenon of tumor growth after trauma or surgery and its associated cellular mechanisms. This phenomenon deserves further investigation and study.
El Saghir
Nagi S
NS
Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. nagi.saghir@aub.edu.lb
Elhajj
Ihab I
II
Geara
Fady B
FB
Hourani
Mukbil H
MH
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D012008:Recurrence; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications