Long Term Survival after Resection of a Small Bowel Metastasis of Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Small bowel metastases of lung adenocarcinoma represent a rare clinical entity, often diagnosed after complications due to obstruction, bleeding or bowel perforation. Case Report: We report a case of ileal metastasis discovered during an intestinal perforation. The patient was a 47-year-old man hospitalized in emergency for acute abdominal pain, with right lower quadrant abdominal defense and a clinical history of left lower pulmonary lobectomy for lung adenocarcinoma 6 months before. Exploratory laparotomy for peritonitis revealed a single ileal tumor which was resected with lymph nodes excision. Pathology finding revealed that it was compatible with an ileal metastasis of his lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: The suspicion of a small bowel metastasis of lung carcinoma, although rare, must be taken in consideration and to carry out an extensive surgery, because only this will have an improvement on the survival of these patients. The purpose of this investigation is to add a new case report to the few that exist in order to provide a therapeutic approach to these exceptional cases.