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Metastatic Adenocarcinoma to Lung

Etiology: • In women most common origin of clinically significant metastatic disease is breast • In men metastatic neoplasms from the GI tract are most often clinically significant

Pathogenesis: • Tumor thrombi arrive via venous drainage of the carcinoma, circulate through the heart and lodge in small pulmonary vessels

Epidemiology: • All carcinomas can spread to the lungs.

General Gross Description: • Usually multifocal lesions scattered through the periphery of the lung • May be more frequent in the lower lobes where blood supply is richer • Well circumscribed nodules or • Filling subpleural and intrapulmonary lymphatics with gray white neoplasm or • Grossly inapparent

General Microscopic Description: • Dependent on cell and organ of origin.

Clinical Correlations: • Presence of pulmonary metastases usually indicates ominous prognosis.

References: • Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th edition. W.B. Saunders.