Austin Health

Title
Pulmonary metastases: a rare manifestation of the most common cancer.
Publication Date
2012-06-06
Author(s)
Arulananda, Surein
Liew, Mun Sem
Battye, Shane
McDonald, Christine F
Mitchell, Paul L R
Type of document
Journal Article
DOI
10.1111/j.1440-0960.2012.00904.x
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.
Link
Citation
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology 2012; 54(3): e70-3
Jornal Title
The Australasian journal of dermatology

Files:

NameSizeformatDescriptionLink