Tuberc Respir Dis.  2013 Apr;74(4):169-176. 10.4046/trd.2013.74.4.169.

Endobronchial Metastases from Extrathoracic Malignancies: Recent 10 Years' Experience in a Single University Hospital

• Kim JH
• Min D
• Song SH
• Lee JH
• Jeong HC
• Kim EK

• KMID: 1495857
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2013.74.4.169

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Although the lung is a common site of metastasis, endobronchial metastases (EBM) from extrathoracic malignancies are rare. Previous studies were retrospective reviews of the cases from each single institute, and the last one was performed between 1992 and 2002. We evaluated the characteristics of patients with EBM who had been diagnosed in recent 10 years in our hospital.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 1,275 patients who had undergone diagnostic bronchoscopic procedures between 2001 and 2011. An EBM was defined as bronchoscopically notable lesion, which was histopathologically identical to the primary tumor.
RESULTS
A total of 18 cases of EBM were identified. The mean age was 53 years, and 12 cases of the 18 patients were female. The most common primary malignancies were colorectal cancer and breast cancer (4 cases each), followed by cervix cancer (3 cases) and renal cell carcinoma (2 cases). Cough was the most common symptom. The most common radiologic finding was atelectasis, which was identified in 27.7% of the cases. The median interval from the diagnosis of primary malignancy to the diagnosis of EBM was 14 months (range, 0-112 months). The median survival time from the diagnosis of EBM was 10 months (range, 1-39 months).
CONCLUSION
EBM from extrathoracic malignancies were rare. Colorectal cancer and breast cancer were common as primary malignancies. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy should be performed in all patients, who are suspected of having EBM. If atypical clinical and pathological features are present, appropriate diagnostic studies should be undertaken.

Keyword

Bronchi; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms
Bronchi
Bronchoscopy
Carcinoma, Renal Cell
Colorectal Neoplasms
Cough
Female
Humans
Lung
Neoplasm Metastasis
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Retrospective Studies
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Figure

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  Figure 1 Primary malignancies from the results of previous studies including ours.

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  Figure 2 Primary malignancies from the results of previous studies that were published before 2000.

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  Figure 3 Primary malignancies from the results of previous studies that were published after 2000 including ours.

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