Abstract
Background: We report a patient who achieved long-term survival with successful treatment of both cerebellar metastasis and primary multiple lung cancer.
Case: A 60-year-old man underwent removal of cerebellar metastasis in June, 1982. At that time, the primary lesion had not been detected. In September, 1986, his chest X-ray film and CT scan showed an irregular mass in the right upper lobe. Right upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed under a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. The histologic findings of the previously resected cerebellar tumor were compatible with the lung cancer. Thus, the TNM stage was confirmed as T2N0M1. In October, 1997, metachronous lung cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) was discovered in the S6 segment of the left lower lobe. Because of poor pulmonary function, we performed S6 segmentectomy as a compromised limited operation. His postoperative course was uneventful. He now remains well and is disease-free 16 years after the initial brain surgery.
Conclusion: Diligent long-term follow-up and aggressive treatment is an option to be considered in patients with solitary brain metastases from lung cancer.
