Metastatic lung carcinoma involving the gastrointestinal tract

A review of 147 autopsies performed over a 4.5-year period on patients with a diagnosis of primary carcinoma of the lung revealed that 18 (12%) had metastatic lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. Fourteen had a single focus of gastrointestinal involvement, while four had multiple lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. Large cell carcinoma accounted for a large percentage (33%), out of proportion to the general occurrence of this cell type (12%). Twelve of the 18 patients had signs or symptoms suggesting gastrointestinal involvement but only four were diagnosed premortem. Gastrointestinal involvement in metastatic carcinoma of the lung occurs more frequently than realized and is often overlooked.