Pulmonary metastases: a rare manifestation of the most common cancer.

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignancy but rarely metastasises. We report on two patients with symptomatic lung metastases and a past history of recurrent BCC excisions. In our first patient, a heavy smoker with multiple lung lesions, histology of a resected nodule was first reported as non-small cell lung cancer but a repeat nodule biopsy a year later was recognised as a pulmonary metastasis from primary cutaneous BCC. Our second patient, a young never-smoker with two previous BCC, was confirmed as having a pulmonary metastasis from BCC on the lung resection specimen. Pulmonary metastasis from an unidentified primary site is a common clinical situation. These patients emphasise the importance of considering the most common cancer as a potential primary.