The pathogenesis of lung metastasis cavitation is discussed with reference to some personal observations. According to the most common hypothesis, namely that cavitation is in some way related to inadequacy of the vascular stromata within the tumor mass, the invasiveness of the tumor would depend on the reduced blood supply. No such relation has been observed and the Xrays clearly show some solid formations and others with well-defined boundaries in which excavation is very pronounced. Factors that probably play an important part in the pathogenesis of this type of lung metastasis are: lung dynamics, the site of the metastasis and the growth characteristics of the tumor.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AjelloA., e NicoliniD.: Le metastasi polmonari escavate.Comunicazione al LV Raduno Triveneto della SIRMN.Bussolengo, 1969.
2.
AndersonH. J., and PierceJ. W.: Carcinoma of the bronchus presenting as a thin-walled cyst.Thorax, 9: 100–105, 1954.
3.
CammoranesiL., De FlorioL., e RoversiR.: Le metastasi polmonari escavate.Radiobiol. Radioter. Fisica Med., 24: 277–289, 1969.
4.
ConwayD., and GrayD. G.: Cavitating secondary carcinoma of the lung.J. Canad. Ass. Radiol., 18: 310–314, 1967.
5.
CurranJ. D., and Mac CarthyJ. M.: Cavitating pulmonary metastases.J. Fac. Radiol., 10: 166–168, 1959.
6.
DeckF. W., and ShermanD. S.: Escavation of metastases nodules in the lung.Radiology, 72: 30–34, 1959.
7.
DicksonR. I., and SmithanJ. H.: Cavitation of lung lesions.Brit. J. Radiol., 25: 48–58, 1952.
8.
DoddG. D., and BoyleJ. J.: Excavating pulmonary metastases.Amer. J. Roentgenol., 85: 277–293, 1961.
9.
Le MayM., and PiroA. J.: Cavitating pulmonary metastases.Ann. Int. Med., 62: 59–65, 1961.
10.
LynchE. C., and FredH. L.: Pulmonary cavitation in Wegener's granulomatosis.Amer. J. Roentgenol., 92: 521–530, 1964.
11.
Omodei ZoriniA.: Sulla patogenesi delle caverne cancerigene polmonari primitive pseudocistiche.Minerva med., 60: 2187–2204, 1969.
12.
PeobodyG. W., and RupnikE. J.: Bronchial carcinoma masquerating as a thin-walled cyst.Amer. J. Roentgenol., 77: 1048–1054, 1957.
13.
SimonG.: Principles of chest X-ray diagnosis. p. 85–86, F. A. Davis Co., Philadelphia, 1956.
14.
RosenauW.: The nature and mechanism of metastasis Oncology, 24: 21–33, 1969.
