title: Pancreatic involvement in small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few data are available concerning incidence, clinical picture, and prognosis for pancreatic metastases of small cell lung carcinoma. In this paper we review the related literature available in English language.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although pancreatic metastases are generally asymptomatic, they can rarely produce clinical symptoms or functional abnormalities. The widespread use of multi-detector computerised tomography (CT) in contemporary medical practice has led to an increased detection of pancreatic metastases in oncology patients. Tissue diagnosis is imperative because radiological techniques alone are incapable of differentiating them from primary pancreatic tumours. Pancreatic metastases occur in the relative end stage of small cell lung cancer. The main complications of these lesions, although rare, are acute pancreatitis and obstructive jaundice. Early chemotherapy can provide a survival benefit even in patients with mild acute pancreatitis or extrahepatic biliary obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gonlugur
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirici
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muammer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaayvaz
keywords: carcinoma; lung neoplasms; neoplasm metastasis; pancreas; small cell