Asymptomatic colonic metastases from primary squamous cell carcinoma of the lung with a positive fecal occult blood test

Abstract

We describe a 74-year-old man with a colonic metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) from the lung. His chest X-ray revealed an abnormal shadow in the right upper lobe. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest demonstrated a large lung tumor in the right upper lobe obstructing the right upper bronchus. Bronchoscopy revealed an easy-bleeding tumor in the right upper bronchus that was diagnosed as poorly differentiated squamous cell lung carcinoma. He underwent colonoscopy because he had a positive fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy revealed a large protruding lesion with central ulceration in the descending colon. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen obtained from the colonic lesion revealed SCC. The lesion was diagnosed as metastatic colonic SCC. He had no abdominal symptoms. He underwent chemotherapy with an infusion of cisplatin 130 mg i.v. day 1, and docetaxel hydrate 100 mg i.v. day 1, repeated every 4 wk, followed by 4 courses of chemotherapy. The primary lesion shrank by less than 10% and was judged to be "Partial Response" (PR) after 3 courses of treatment. The patient still lived 23 wk after the diagnosis of metastatic colonic SCC. Colonic metastasis of primary SCC of the lung is rare.