PATTERNS OF PANCREATIC METASTASIS FROM LUNG-CANCER

Background: Metastatic involvement of the pancreas is nor an uncommon autopsy finding, however, pancreatic metastasis is an infrequent clini cal condition and the pattern of the metastasis have not been studied We conducted a retrospective study in order to evaluate the pattern of the metastasis from lung cancer. Patients: From 1976 to 1997, 26 pati ents with pancreatic metastasis were identified by searching the medic al records of 850 patients with lung cancer: Results: The usual patter n of pancreatic metastasis involved a solitary nodule in 19 patients ( 73.1%); multiple nodules in 3(11.5%), and diffuse swelling in 4(15.4%) . Nineteen(73.1%) and 18(69.2%) of 26 patients had liver and adrenal g land metastases, respectively. Conclusions: Pancreatic metastasis repr esents a common site of extrathoracic spread of disease for the small number of patients with advanced lung cancer, especially in small cell lung cancer. The usual pattern of the metastasis is a solitary nodule . In order to diagnose exactly, abdominal CT scan would be helpful in such metastasis.