Metastatic tumors in supraclavicular lymph node: pathological analysis of 125 cases

Kim, Dong Sug; Nam, Hae Joo; Choi, Won Hee; Lee, Tae Sook

Abstract

Supraclavicular lymph nodes are unique in that they can attract metastases from almost anywhere in the body and most common sites of metastasis from an unknown primary source. 125 cases which had been diagnosed as metastatic supraclavicular lymph node during the period between May 1983 and August 1991, were analyzed pathologically, and following distinctive characteristics could be outlined: 1) The most frequent sites of metastasis from primary lesions are lung (43%), stomach (23%), lymphoreticular (6%), biliary (5%), esophagus (2%), and pancreas (2%). 2) Histologic examination of metastatic supraclavicular lymph node revealed adenocarcinoma (57%), squamous cell carcinoma (12%), undifferentiated carcinoma (9%), small cell carcinoma (7%), malignant lymphoma (6%), malignant melanoma (1%) and undetermined carcinoma (8%). 3) In cases that histologic types were squamous cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and undetermined carcinoma, the most frequent primary site was lung.