[Multiple cerebral infarction by blood-borne tumor emboli in carcinoma of the mid-pharynx: an autopsy case].

In May, 1989, a-54-year old man was admitted complaining of sore throat and tumor of the neck which had persisted for 2 months. Mid-pharyngeal tumor was diagnosed as poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (stage, T3N2M0) and the patient was treated with radiation (Co 65Gy) from May 30 to July 24 and chemotherapy (UFT), which therapies were effective. On Aug. 16, sudden onset of consciousness disturbance and hemiparesis was revealed, and MRI showed small cerebral infarction. He died on Oct. 23, of pneumonia. Pathological diagnosis revealed a case of carcinoma of the mid-pharynx with wide-spread tumor embolism. Multiple cerebral and myocardial infarctions, thrombus in pulmonary arteries and congestion of kidneys with tumor emboli, due to "disseminated intravascular carcinomatosis" were noticed. A direct cause of death was dyspnea due to multiple lung metastases, pneumonia and tumor embolism in the pulmonary and coronary arteries.