Elbow Metastasis From Primary Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Orthopedic Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths globally.
• Bone metastasis is common in advanced lung cancer, typically affecting the axial skeleton or proximal long bones.
• Elbow metastasis from lung cancer is exceptionally rare, presenting significant diagnostic and therapeutic hurdles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of lung cancer metastasis to the elbow.
• To highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with such rare presentations.
• To emphasize the potential for positive outcomes with personalized, multimodal treatment.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 39-year-old male with a history of smoking and occupational exposure.
• Clinical presentation included progressive left elbow pain, swelling, and limited mobility over 8 months.
• Diagnostic workup involved imaging (revealing an osteolytic lesion in the distal humerus) and biopsy (confirming metastatic adenocarcinoma from a primary lung tumor).
• Treatment comprised a targeted regimen including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and localized radiotherapy for the elbow metastasis.

Main Results:

• A biopsy confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma originating from a primary lung tumor.
• The patient received a comprehensive treatment plan including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy.
• After two years of treatment, the patient achieved complete oncological remission.

Conclusions:

• This case demonstrates that favorable outcomes are achievable even with rare metastatic lung cancer presentations to atypical sites like the distal humerus.
• While bone metastasis in lung cancer often indicates a poor prognosis, a personalized, multimodal treatment strategy can significantly improve results.
• Aggressive and tailored treatment can lead to complete remission in advanced-stage lung cancer with unusual metastatic locations.