Pereira J R, Capersmidt R, Akikubo D T, Ikari F K, Nikaedo S M
Instituto do Cãncer Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho, São Paulo.
Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 1996 Apr-Jun;42(2):119-22.
Frequently metastases are developed in the lung. Endobronchial involvement, in these cases, ranges from 2% to 5%. Particularly in breast cancer, endobronchial metastases (EM) carriers could be identified in approximately 36% of the cases.
Relate of a case showing the importance of the EM detection. The differential diagnosis is very important because EM can simulate asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and lung cancer.
38 year-old caucasian woman, carrier of a breast cancer, who was referred to "Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho" Cancer Institute with non-productive cough and rest dyspnea. On X-Ray she had bilateral lung infiltrates, which was due to disseminated breast neoplasm. Bronchoscopy showed little elevated and isolated lesions, dispersed along all bronchial tree. The histological examination showed a carcinoma of the bronchial mucosa suggesting breast cancer origin.
The authors emphasize the importance of the bronchoscopic examination in the diagnosis of EM. These lesions can be detected by this way in 50% of the cases. Bronchoscopy has high specificity and it is a safe diagnostic method that in this way presents rare complications.
