Prognostic significance of massive bronchogenic tumor embolus

Massive arterial bronchogenic tumor embolus is rare, and most commonly occurs intraoperatively during pulmonary resection. Arterial obstruction from the tumor embolus carries substantial morbidity and mortality. For those patients who survive embolectomy, prognosis is most closely correlated with the TNM staging of the primary lung tumor ignoring the tumor embolus.