SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SOLITARY ADRENAL METASTASIS FROM NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Abstract

Background . Adrenal glands are the site of solitary synchronous and metachronous metastases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The presence of solitary adrenal metastasis from lung cancer provides survival benefit; however, currently, there are no exact treatment algorithms. Objectives of the study : to assess shortand long-term treatment outcomes in patients with adrenal metastases from NSCLC. Material and methods . Treatment outcomes of patients undergoing adrenalectomy for NSCLC were analyzed. Results . From 1993 to 2014, 13 patients (11 males/2 females aged between 44 and 78, median age 58 years) with solitary adrenal metastases (adenocarcinoma (n=7), squamous cell carcinoma (n=4), large cell carcinoma (n=2); synchronous metastases – 5 cases (38.5%) and metachronous metastases – 8 cases (61.5 %), underwent adrenalectomy (one patient was given stereotactic radiation therapy for brain metastasis). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed in 10 (76.9 %) cases, open adrenalectomy was performed in 3 (23.1 %) cases. The average adrenal tumor diameter was 74.6 ± 13.3 mm (25–170 mm). In the early postoperative period, two lethal outcomes were recorded. The median follow-up time after adrenalectomy was 20 months (3 to 267 months), the average follow-up time was 51.5 ± 23.5 months. The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with synchronous and metachronous metastases were 25.0 ± 2.2 % and 57.1 ± 1.9 %, respectively; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p=0.63; LogRank). The extent of surgery, morphological tumor type and status of regional lymph nodes produced no influence on the survival rate (p>0.05). Conclusion . No factors influencing survival in patients with solitary adrenal metastases from NSCLC were identified.