Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The adrenal gland is one of the common sites of metastasis from primary lung cancer. Adrenal metastases are usually unilateral however bilateral adrenal metastases are seen in 10% of all lung cancer patients; of these 2–3% occurs at...

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Main Authors: Karanikiotis Charisios, Tentes Apostolos, Markakidis Sotirios, Vafiadis Konstantinos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2004-11-01
Series:World Journal of Surgical Oncology
Online Access:http://www.wjso.com/content/2/1/37
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author Karanikiotis Charisios
Tentes Apostolos
Markakidis Sotirios
Vafiadis Konstantinos
author_facet Karanikiotis Charisios
Tentes Apostolos
Markakidis Sotirios
Vafiadis Konstantinos
author_sort Karanikiotis Charisios
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The adrenal gland is one of the common sites of metastasis from primary lung cancer. Adrenal metastases are usually unilateral however bilateral adrenal metastases are seen in 10% of all lung cancer patients; of these 2–3% occurs at the initial presentation of non-small cell lung cancer. Secondary tumors can disrupt the structure and function of the adrenal. This can lead to adrenal hemorrhage, which constitutes a life threatening hazard for the patient.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 59-year-old male presented with persisting abdominal pain. His initial work-up revealed significant anemia, an invasive process in the right upper lobe of the lung and large masses of heterogeneous texture, with hemorrhagic and necrotic elements in both adrenal glands. A biopsy confirmed it to be a large-cell carcinoma of the lungs. The patient developed severe leukocytosis akin to the paraneoplastic syndrome and died suddenly five days after the administration of chemotherapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Intratumoral hemorrhage is a rare but life threatening complication of adrenal metastases and should be treated as soon as it has been diagnosed. If adrenalectomy is not feasible, combination chemotherapy should be applied as in metastatic disease. For choosing the appropriate chemotherapeutic regimen it is important to accurately achieve the diagnosis.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-237dee7892f94b7b9e6f365d58e1b21b2022-12-21T18:35:13ZengBMCWorld Journal of Surgical Oncology1477-78192004-11-01213710.1186/1477-7819-2-37Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancerKaranikiotis CharisiosTentes ApostolosMarkakidis SotiriosVafiadis Konstantinos<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The adrenal gland is one of the common sites of metastasis from primary lung cancer. Adrenal metastases are usually unilateral however bilateral adrenal metastases are seen in 10% of all lung cancer patients; of these 2–3% occurs at the initial presentation of non-small cell lung cancer. Secondary tumors can disrupt the structure and function of the adrenal. This can lead to adrenal hemorrhage, which constitutes a life threatening hazard for the patient.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 59-year-old male presented with persisting abdominal pain. His initial work-up revealed significant anemia, an invasive process in the right upper lobe of the lung and large masses of heterogeneous texture, with hemorrhagic and necrotic elements in both adrenal glands. A biopsy confirmed it to be a large-cell carcinoma of the lungs. The patient developed severe leukocytosis akin to the paraneoplastic syndrome and died suddenly five days after the administration of chemotherapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Intratumoral hemorrhage is a rare but life threatening complication of adrenal metastases and should be treated as soon as it has been diagnosed. If adrenalectomy is not feasible, combination chemotherapy should be applied as in metastatic disease. For choosing the appropriate chemotherapeutic regimen it is important to accurately achieve the diagnosis.</p>http://www.wjso.com/content/2/1/37
spellingShingle Karanikiotis Charisios
Tentes Apostolos
Markakidis Sotirios
Vafiadis Konstantinos
Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
World Journal of Surgical Oncology
title Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
title_full Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
title_fullStr Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
title_full_unstemmed Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
title_short Large bilateral adrenal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer
title_sort large bilateral adrenal metastases in non small cell lung cancer
url http://www.wjso.com/content/2/1/37
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AT tentesapostolos largebilateraladrenalmetastasesinnonsmallcelllungcancer
AT markakidissotirios largebilateraladrenalmetastasesinnonsmallcelllungcancer
AT vafiadiskonstantinos largebilateraladrenalmetastasesinnonsmallcelllungcancer