Caecal metastasis from a primary small-cell lung carcinoma.
Small bowel metastases from a primary lung carcinoma are rare. We report a case of a 59-year-old male with a primary small-cell lung carcinoma who developed anaemia and bowel symptoms. On colonoscopic examination he was found to have a tumour in the caecum near the ileocaecal valve, which was biopsied, revealing small neuroendocrine tumour cells. The patient then underwent systemic chemotherapy, which achieved a reduction in the size of the primary lung tumour and an improvement in his bowel symptoms. It is important that such a rare condition be recognised early as complicated intestinal metastases from a lung carcinoma can lead to high mortality rates and poor short-term outcome. With advances in chemotherapy and palliative care, patients with metastatic lung carcinoma can sometimes survive more than a year with reasonable quality of life.
Lau
C P
CP
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. patricklau75@hotmail.com
Leung
W K
WK
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002430:Cecal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin