Open AccessHeterochronous Metastases of Lung Adenocarcinoma to Pancreas and Liver: A Case Report from Pathological Perspectives
Author(s) -
Bo Zhang,
Qi-Da Hu,
Jiachao Yu,
Junsen Wang,
Hua Yang,
Jiongbo Lou,
Guoqiang Cai,
Haifeng Huang,
Meifang Xu,
Zhaoying Xiao,
Zhang Yun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
oncotargets and therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.054
H-Index - 60
ISSN - 1178-6930
DOI - 10.2147/ott.s314385
Subject(s) - adenocarcinoma , medicine , immunohistochemistry , lung , metastasis , pathological , pathology , pancreas , biopsy , pancreaticoduodenectomy , cancer
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a vital tool to distinguish tumor metastases from primary lesions in addition to morphologic analysis. In this study, a 64-year-old female with a past surgical history of lung adenocarcinoma 11 years ago was presented with recurrence of liver nodular lesions after multiple surgical procedures, including the Whipple procedure for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma and cytoreductive surgery for liver metastasis. Liver biopsy and review of the previous specimens, based on IHC analyses, suggested heterochronous metastases of lung adenocarcinoma to the digestive systems in a long-time span, instead of primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This case demonstrates the potential for misdiagnoses from morphologic analysis alone and suggests the necessity of IHC analyses to avoid misjudgment on tumor phenotypes, when a previous oncologic history is presented.