METASTASIS FROM SMALL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG PRODUCING ACUTE APPENDICITIS

A case of acute gangrenous appendicitis with perforation caused by met astatic small cell carcinoma of the lung in a 65 year old man is repor ted. The manifestation of appendicitis occurred more than 4 years afte r the diagnosis of the bronchogenic carcinoma. With longer survival of patients with disseminated tumors it is probable that new manifestati ons of those malignancies will he discovered. Acute appendicitis due t o metastasis from a distant neoplasm should be considered in the diffe rential diagnosis of right lower abdominal pain in the oncology patien t.