[Ovarian metastasis and lung adenocarcinoma: a case report]

MCP-1/CCR-2 axis in adipocytes and cancer cell respectively facilitates ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis

Ovarian cancer selective metastasizes to the omentum contributing to the poor prognosis associated with ovarian cancer. However, the mechanism underlining this propensity and therapeutic approaches to counter this process has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that MCP-1 produced by omental adipocytes binding to its cognate receptor CCR-2 on ovarian cancer cells facilitates migration and omental metastasis by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and its downstream effectors HIF-1α and VEGF-A in cell lines, xenografts, and transgenic murine models. MCP-1 antibody significantly decreased tumor burden and increased survival of mice in vivo. Interestingly, metformin decreased omental metastasis at least partially by inhibiting MCP-1 secretion from adipocytes independent of direct effects on cancer cells. Together this suggests a novel target of MCP-1/CCR-2 axis that could benefit ovarian cancer patients.

Endometrial metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma: A case report

The female genital tract is an infrequent site of metastasis, in particular from extragenital primary tumors such as non-small cell lung cancer. Ovarian metastases have been described as disseminations of lung adenocarcinoma; rare cases of secondary localizations in adnexa, cervix and vagina were also observed in the literature, but none of these had endometrial involvement. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of non-small cell lung cancer with metastatic spread to the endometrium.

Cellular and molecular processes in ovarian cancer metastasis. A Review in the Theme: Cell and Molecular Processes in Cancer Metastasis

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. It is usually diagnosed at a late stage, with a 5-yr survival rate of <30%. The majority of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed after tumors have widely spread within the peritoneal cavity, limiting the effectiveness of debulking surgery and chemotherapy. Owing to a substantially lower survival rate at late stages of disease than at earlier stages, the major cause of ovarian cancer deaths is believed to be therapy-resistant metastasis. Although metastasis plays a crucial role in promoting ovarian tumor progression and decreasing patient survival rates, the underlying mechanisms of ovarian cancer spread have yet to be thoroughly explored. For many years, researchers have believed that ovarian cancer metastasizes via a passive mechanism by which ovarian cancer cells are shed from the primary tumor and carried by the physiological movement of peritoneal fluid to the peritoneum and omentum. However, the recent discovery of hematogenous metastasis of ovarian cancer to the omentum via circulating tumor cells instigated rethinking of the mode of ovarian cancer metastasis and the importance of the "seed-and-soil" hypothesis for ovarian cancer metastasis. In this review we discuss the possible mechanisms by which ovarian cancer cells metastasize from the primary tumor to the omentum, the cross-talk signaling events between ovarian cancer cells and various stromal cells that play crucial roles in ovarian cancer metastasis, and the possible clinical implications of these findings in the management of this deadly, highly metastatic disease.

Hematogenous metastasis of ovarian cancer: rethinking mode of spread

Ovarian cancer has a clear predilection for metastasis to the omentum, but the underlying mechanisms involved in ovarian cancer spread are not well understood. Here, we used a parabiosis model that demonstrates preferential hematogenous metastasis of ovarian cancer to the omentum. Our studies revealed that the ErbB3-neuregulin 1 (NRG1) axis is a dominant pathway responsible for hematogenous omental metastasis. Elevated levels of ErbB3 in ovarian cancer cells and NRG1 in the omentum allowed for tumor cell localization and growth in the omentum. Depletion of ErbB3 in ovarian cancer impaired omental metastasis. Our results highlight hematogenous metastasis as an important mode of ovarian cancer metastasis. These findings have implications for designing alternative strategies aimed at preventing and treating ovarian cancer metastasis.

Metastasis to a uterine leiomyoma originating from lung cancer: A case report

The uterus is an uncommon site of metastasis especially from a primary lung adenocarcinoma. More frequently, extragenital primary tumours, including lung cancer, metastasize to the ovaries. In the literature, lung cancer metastasizing to the uterus is rare and has been reported to involve the endometrium and uterine serosa. Here, we report an unusual case of a 58-year-old woman who had a history of lung adenocarcinoma with subsequent metastasis to a single uterine fibroid only. The patient was known to have a long history of asymptomatic fibroids. In 2008, she was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma which was treated with primary surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Four years later, a routine abdominal computerised tomography scan showed an enlargement of the fibroid and she underwent a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Pathology reported a lung adenocarcinoma metastatic to the uterine leiomyoma with a similar morphology to the original pulmonary malignancy and this was confirmed with immunohistochemical staining. She had no evidence of metastatic disease elsewhere. The final diagnosis was metastasis of a primary lung adenocarcinoma confined to a uterine leiomyoma. Our patient also fulfilled the criteria for a phenomenon called tumour-to-tumour metastasis in this case a primary malignancy having metastasized to a benign tumour. In conclusion, metastasis of a primary lung cancer to the female reproductive tract has been documented, but clinicians should also be aware that metastasis to benign gynaecological tumours such as fibroids can also occur, especially in the setting of tumour-to-tumour metastasis. In addition, the clinical history and use of immunohistochemistry are invaluable in reaching a diagnosis.

A rare case of rectus abdominis metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma

Background:

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer in the country for both men and women.. Here we describe a case of rectus abdominis muscle, small bowel and mesenteric metastasis with poorly differentiated lung adenocarcinoma at the time of diagnosis.

Case Report:

This is a case of 51 year old male patient who came with complains of severe abdominal pain for 3 days. He had a workup done for hemoptysis (over 2 months) including a CT chest which showed a 3.1×2.7cm cavitary lesion but the following bronchoscopy for malignancy was negative. He had a 30 pack year smoking history and had quit 10 years back. CT abdomen showed dense lobular mesenteric mass likely representing hemorrhagic mass seen in the right aspect of the mesentery. A second lesion was seen at inferior lateral aspect of the right rectus muscle which likely represents hemorrhagic lesion with hemoperitonuem. Pathology result came back as most consistent with metastatic poorly differentiated pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The patient is undergoing radiation treatment at present.

Conclusions:

There are very few case reports of lung cancer presenting with small bowel obstruction or perforation as the initial presentation. Skeletal muscle metastasis although rare, has been described to forearm, gluteal and psoas muscle. Our case presented as a hemorrhage resulting in overlying bruise which is not described before. Treatment options for such cases are not clear but as the patients usually have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Multimodality treatment options including surgical excision, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been tried with mixed results.

Occult metastatic lung carcinoma presenting as locally advanced uterine carcinosarcoma on positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging

Increasingly, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is being used as a tumor surveillance modality for multiple tumor types. A 73-year-old postmenopausal female with stage IV nonsmall cell lung cancer presented after a PET/CT demonstrated focal uptake in the superior and lateral aspects of the uterus. The patient reported a history of intermittent postmenopausal bleeding and an endometrial biopsy documented uterine carcinosarcoma. Postoperative pathologic review and immunohistochemical staining with thyroid transcription factor-1 revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma consistent with her lung primary in her uterus and adnexa. Our case represents a rare occurrence in which lung cancer has metastasized to multiple female pelvic organs. Increasing use of PET/CT may lead to the discovery of occult metastases masquerading as a second primary malignancy.