Hypertrophic Pulmonary Osteoarthropathy in Pulmonary Metastases

Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy is most commonly encountered in association with bronchogenic carcinoma and tumors of the pleura. Its association with pulmonary metastases from extrathoracic neoplasms is rare, with only 44 documented cases in the literature. Three additional cases are reported. Nearly half of the reported cases have been sarcomas, mainly of bone and soft tissues; among the rest are tumors of the nasopharynx and uterus and cervix. It has recently been noted that symptoms can be dramatically relieved by intrathoracic or cervical vagotomy.