A 66-year-old woman with newly diagnosed oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer

A 66-year-old woman presented with newly diagnosed stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a large adrenal metastasis. She initially had flu-like symptoms and dyspnea and was found to have a right upper lobe (RUL) lung nodule. Chest CT showed a 1.4-cm spiculated RUL lung nodule, peripheral right lung nodule, right perihilar mass, and 10.9-cm left adrenal mass. PET/CT showed enhancement of the RUL nodule, hilar mass, and left adrenal mass. She presented for evaluation of treatment options. This case was thought to represent an instance of oligometastatic stage IV NSCLC. Literature suggests that a select patient population with otherwise resectable disease may benefit from surgical resection of a lung primary and the isolated metastasis with improved survival. This seems to be most effective in patients who have undergone a complete staging evaluation with PET scan; CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis; and a brain MRI revealing T1-2, N0-1, M-oligo disease. This radical approach should be reserved for patients with potentially curative disease based on the staging evaluation and who are otherwise good surgical candidates.