SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX - PATTERNS OF THORACIC METASTASES

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. Distant metastasis of cervical cancer, once considered rather uncommon, has become more common in recent years bec ause of longer survival of the patients, The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiographic patterns of its thoracic metastases corre lating with the pathways of metastatic tumor spread. METHODS. The conv entional radiographs (62 cases), thoracic computed tomography images ( 20 cases), and medical records of 62 patients with advanced squamous c ell carcinoma of the uterine cervix with thoracic metastases who died of extensive disease and its complications during a recent 5-year peri od were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. In addition to the most typical pattern of multiple pulmonary nodules (71%), medi astinal and hilar lymphadenopathy (32%) and pleural metastases (27%) w ere frequently observed. Rare findings included bone metastases (6%), endobronchial obstruction (5%), and lymphangitic carcinomatosis (3%). The mechanisms of metastasis in relation to the above manifestations a re proposed.