[Spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with lung metastases of synovial sarcoma]

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare complication of metastatic lesions of the lung. Treatment was given to 111 cases of synovial sarcoma at the Center Clinics in 1975-1981, lung metastases being in 53 cases (47.7%). Spontaneous pneumothorax was registered in 4 patients (3.6%) out of the total number of cases and in 7.55% of those with lung metastases. Three cases of spontaneous pneumothorax and lung metastases of synovial sarcoma revealed no symptoms. Therapeutic effect was obtained by conservative treatment. The risk of spontaneous pneumothorax in cases of lung metastases is increased after chemotherapy, which may be associated with the disintegration of subpleural metastases. Pneumothorax did not interfere with repeated courses of chemotherapy.