Abstract
Thirty-six autopsied cases of small cell carcinoma of the lung were examined clinicopathologically. Thirty-two cases were male, four were female and their ages peaked in the seventh decade. The frequency of metastases to other organs was highest in the liver (52.8%), followed by the brain (47.1%), adrenal gland (36.1%), pancreas (25%), bone (25%). Metastases to pulmonary hilar lymph nodes was seen in 66.7% of cases and to retroperitoneal lymph nodes in 55.6%. Pathological findings of the primary site following chemotherapy and/or radiation showed no tumor cells in nine of 30 treated cases and fibrotic scars were seen in six of the nine cases. Bilateral interstitial pneumonitis was the cause of death of seven of the 30 cases. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and generalized candidasis, generally unusual complications in lung cancer, were found in our cases. Other complications consisting of ten cases of bronchopneumonia, eight of peptic ulcer and four of other cancer were also recognized.
