A roentgenological study on pulmonary metastases in 5748 cases of various cancer patients

Chin, S Y

Abstract

A statistical analysis about the frequency and pattern of pulmonary metastases was carried out from theroentgenological aspect in 5,748 cases of various cancer patients visiting the cancer Resarch Hospital during pastthree years from Oct. 1974 to Sep. 1977. Simple chest P-A and lateral. laminograms, and bronchograms were analysedin all cases. Following are the results. 1. The frequency fo pulmonary metastases in total of 5,748 cases was 17.5%, and the mean of frequencies in 5,666 cases, except for 82 cases of lip cancer and others withoutmetastases, was 28.3%. 2. The frequencies of pulmonary metastases in 5,666 cases accoridng to the primary sitswere 4.0% in nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, 11.3% in larynx, 84.2% in lung, 100.0% in mesotheliomas, 19.5% inthyroid, 12.5% in oropharynx, 7.1% in tongue, 10.9% in salivary glane, 11.3% inesophagus, 5.7% in stomach, 8.4% incolon, rectum, and anus, 23.6% in liver, 25.0% in pancreas, 53.3% in renal cell carcinomas, 33.3% in Wilm'stumors, 20.0% in neuroblastomas, in uterus, 69.0% in choriocarcinomas, 13.8% in ovary, 25.0% in dysgerminomas,4.1% in vagina and vulva, 33.8% in malignant lymphoma group, 50.0% inthymomas, 5.9% in skin, 45.5% in skinmelanomas, 37.6% in bone sarcomas, 27.1% in soft tissue sarcomas, and 51.6% in primary site unknown cancers. 3.The metastatic pattern of these 1,005 cases were huge mass type 2.4%, golfball type 10.4%, nodular type 32.8%,lymphangitic type 17.1%, miliary type 3.9%, pleural metastases 17.2%, hilar node swelling only 10.6% andmiscellaneous type 5.6%. Of all these types, mass lesions such as huge mass, golfball type, and nodular type were 45.6%. 4. As succesful operation could be done in resectable pulmonary metastases, it is again stressed that theearly diagnosis and treatment of the metastatic lesion is very important.