Published online Jul 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i7.1549
Peer-review started: April 4, 2023
First decision: May 12, 2023
Revised: May 22, 2023
Accepted: May 24, 2023
Article in press: May 24, 2023
Published online: July 27, 2023
Processing time: 108 Days and 12.2 Hours
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Although lung cancer can metastasize to various organs such as the liver, lymph nodes, adrenal gland, bone, and brain, metastases to the digestive organs, especially the colon, are rare.
An 83-year-old man diagnosed with lung cancer received radiation and chemoimmunotherapy, resulting in a complete clinical response. One year after the initial lung cancer diagnosis, the patient presented with obstructive ileus caused by a tumor in the descending colon. An elective left hemicolectomy was successfully performed after the endoscopic placement of a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS). Pathologically, the tumor of the descending colon was diagnosed as lung cancer metastasis. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient is in good condition 13 mo after surgery, with no signs of recurrence. The previous 23 cases of surgical resection of colonic metastasis from lung cancer were reviewed using PubMed to characterize their clinicopathological features and outcomes.
SEMS is useful for obstructive colonic metastasis as a bridge to surgery to avoid emergency operations.
Core Tip: Gastrointestinal metastases of lung cancer, especially colorectal metastases, are rare. We report a colonic obstruction caused by lung cancer metastasis to the descending colon, which was successfully treated with left hemicolectomy after endoscopic decompression with a self-expandable metallic stent. Although chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for gastrointestinal metastases of lung cancer, successful resection of solitary colonic metastases with prolonged survival suggests that surgical intervention may be the treatment of choice for selected patients with colonic metastasis from lung cancer.