Double blood supply of bronchogenic carcinoma from multiple arteries

Angiography was performed in connection with intra-arterial chemotherapy in 110 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. All tumors were supplied from at least one ipsilateral bronchial artery. A double systemic arterial supply was found in 12 patients, the additional blood supply coming from a second ipsilateral bronchial artery in 3 patients, from the ipsilateral internal mammary artery in 4, from intercostal arteries in 4 and from the subclavian artery in one patient. All patients with tumor supply from a non-bronchial artery had direct tumor spread to the chest wall or to the mediastinum. A complete angiographic examination may therefore be of prognostic significance and necessary before intra-arterial chemotherapy, which mainly has a local effect.