[A successful treatment by surgery for axillary lymph node recurrence of lung cancer]

This case concerns a 78-year-old man, who was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 73. He underwent right lobectomy and lymph node dissection, and pathological analysis revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, pT1N0M0 pStage IA. 15 months after surgery, computed tomography showed recurrence of lung cancer at the apex of thoracic cavity. He underwent radiation to the recurrence site, and 33 months after surgery, fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was observed at the axillary and infraclavicular lymph nodes in positron emission tomography examination. Treatment with pemetrexed was started because carcinomatous pericarditis was also found. Although pericardial effusion disappeared, the patient complained of the enlarged size of the axillary and infraclavicular lymph nodes and severe numbness in an arm. Beyond lymph node involvement, no other metastatic sites were found. An operation was performed to relieve the pain and the pathological analysis of lymph nodes showed metastases of lung cancer. The operation successfully reduced the pain experienced by the patient. There has been no further recurrence in the 9 months following surgery. Axillary lymph node metastasis is thought to be a distant metastasis; however, this is a case where local control was needed and was effective.