Urinary bladder metastasis from primary lung cancer, a rare and challenging diagnosis: a case report

Bladder metastases are rare, representing only 2% of all bladder tumors, secondary bladder localization from a primary lung is exceptional.

The authors describe the case followed for lung adenocarcinoma with an exceptional metastatic site, which is the bladder. A computed tomography scan showed a left suprahilar bronchial tumor with pleurisy (Fig. 1A), which biopsies concluded to a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient is treated with palliative cisplatin-based chemotherapy. And died 11 months after diagnosis.

Bladder metastases are rare, representing only 2% of all malignant bladder tumors. Metastatic lesions of the bladder are generally revealed by hematuria. Confirmation of bladder invasion is immunohistochemical, facilitated by knowledge of the primitive.

In the presence of any adenocarcinoma of the bladder, a thoracic-abdominal-pelvic computed tomography scan must be requested in search of a primary extra-vesical cancer who can facilitate the diagnosis.