Abstract
Thirty eight autopsy cases showing carcinomatous lymphangiosis of the lung were examined macro-and microscopically to clarify the route of spread. Twenty cases were males and 13 were females, their ages ranged from 29 to 80 (57.6 in mean) years old.
Primary cancer was found in the lung in 23 cases, in the stomach in 10 cases and in other organs in 5 cases. Possible pathways of spread were classified into 5 types as shown in Fig. 2. The pathway in each case was determined when all necessary conditions werestatisfied.
Hematogenous spread preceeding the lymphangiosis was presumed to exist in 14 cases. Transbronchial wall spread was not suspected in any case. One case of transbronchial luminal route, and one case of retrograde lymphatic route and two cases of transdiaphragmatic routes were suspected, but not strongly.
Statistical analysis showed significant correlation between the degree of hemic metastatic foci of the lung and the degree of carcinomatous lymphangiosis around the bronchial wall, and several cases showed carcinomatous lymphangiosis without mediastinal lymphnode involvement. From these data spread was presumed have followed a hematogenous route in many cases.
