Lung cancer presenting as small bowel perforation

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Lung cancer, specifically squamous cell carcinoma, can metastasize to various organs.
• Gastrointestinal metastasis from lung cancer is uncommon but can lead to severe complications.

Observation:

• A patient presented with acute abdominal pain.
• The cause was identified as jejunal perforation.
• The perforation occurred at the site of a solitary metastatic lesion from lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Findings:

• This case represents an unusual presentation of lung cancer.
• Jejunal perforation secondary to metastatic lung cancer is a rare event.
• Review of literature on similar unusual presentations of lung cancer.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering metastatic disease in patients with unexplained abdominal emergencies.
• Suggests the need for a high index of suspicion for gastrointestinal involvement in advanced lung cancer.
• Underscores the diverse and sometimes unexpected clinical manifestations of lung cancer metastasis.