A RESECTED OF ADRENAL METASTASIS OF LUNG CANCER

Abstract

A 46-year-old man underwent a resection of middle and lower lobes of the right lung with a diagnosi of right lung cancer. Histopathologic ally, it was adenosquamous call carcinoma (t 4 n 2: Stage IIIb). In March 1998 when 11 months had elapsed after the operation, CEA and CA 19-9 started to increase and a CT scan revealed a right adrenal tumor. Solitary adrenal metastasis of the lung cancer or primary adrenal tumor was suspected, and a right adrenalectomy was performed. At surgery, CEA and CA19-9 levels were as high as 50.4ng/ml and 1, 511U/ml, respectively. Histopathological diagnosis was adrenal metastasis of lung cancer. Elevated Cae and CA 19-9 levels rapidly decreased into the normal ranges after the right adrenalectomy. Half-lives of CEA and CA 19-9 calculated were about 5 days and about 4 days, respectivery.
We think that solitary metastasis of lung cancer to the adrenal gland should be activery resected, if the patient's general condition permits it.