Small Bowel Perforation Secondary to Metastasis from Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Maria Rossi, E Dawn Wietfeldt and Jan Rakinic

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, USA

^*Correspondance to: Dawn Wietfeldt 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.1341

Abstract

Lung cancer is responsible for approximately 30% of all cancer-related deaths among men and women worldwide. The most common sites of metastasis are the brain, adrenal glands, bones and liver. Multiple clinical studies suggest that gastrointestinal tract (GIT) metastases are unusual with complications occurring in only 0.4-0.5% of patients with metastases to the small bowel. These complications include perforation, obstruction, intussusception, GIT hemorrhage and malabsorption. The management of lung cancer patients presenting with symptomatic GI metastases remains controversial with some authors advocating conservative management with maximum comfort care due to poor outcome. Others have recommended aggressive surgery because of the potential to offer effective palliation. We present a case of a small intestinal metastasis from a small cell carcinoma of the lung which presented with constipation for three weeks and small bowel perforation. The patient underwent emergent surgical intervention with a favorable outcome.

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Cite the article

Rossi M, Wietfeldt ED, Rakinic J. Small Bowel Perforation Secondary to Metastasis from Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung. Clin Surg. 2017; 2: 1341.