title: Facial skin metastasis due to small-cell lung cancer: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous metastases in the facial region occur in less than 0.5% of patients with metastatic cancer. They are an important finding and are not often the first sign leading to diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the case of a 64-year-old male patient who presented with dyspnea, pleuritic pain, loss of weight and a nodule on his left cheek. A chest X-ray revealed a left upper lobe mass with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Excision biopsy of the facial nodule revealed small-cell lung carcinoma. Palliative chemo-radiotherapy was administered and the patient survived for 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high index of suspicion is necessary for the early detection of facial cutaneous metastases. Appropriate treatment may prolong patient survival.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, A, Simeonidi, Thessaloniki, 54007, Greece. nibarbet@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barbetakis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Samanidis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paliouras
authors.forename: Elpida
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samanidou
authors.forename: Zoi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tzimorota
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Asteriou
authors.forename: Persefoni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xirou
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsilikas