Endobronchial Metastases from Colon Cancer without Liver Metastases: Report of Eight Cases

Purpose

The liver is the most common site of hematogenous spread from colon tumors. Pulmonary metastases from colon cancer result, in most of the cases, from hepatic metastases.

Methods

We describe eight cases of colorectal cancers in which endobronchial metastases have been developed without any evidence of liver involvement.

Results

Median age was 62 years old. In most of the patients, the primary cancer developed in the left side. The median time from colorectal presentation to pulmonary onset was four years. Dyspnea was the major symptom in all cases. Pulmonary involvement included endobronchial metastasis in all cases. CT scan of the chest showed bilateral, diffuse, large, nodular infiltrates without lymph nodes enlargement and without pleural effusion. Endobronchial therapy brought symptomatic relief in all cases; however, two-year follow-up showed only 50 percent survival rate.

Conclusions

Endobronchial metastasis should be suspected in patients with colon cancer with respiratory symptoms, even without known liver metastasis. To the best of our knowledge, such a case series has not been published yet.