Abstract
We analysed the differences in clinical presentation between proximal (above elbow) and distal (below elbow) upper limb metastases in a retrospective review of patients presenting to our centre from 2011 to 2019. There were 55 cases, 64% involving the humerus and 62% occurring in men. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 64 years. Thirty-one per cent of the cases were proximal lesions. Distal upper limb metastases were more likely to be soft tissue lesions (71%) compared with proximal lesions (8%). The median age of patients with distal lesions was significantly lower at 58 years compared with 65 years for proximal lesions. Overall, non-small cell lung carcinoma was the most common primary malignancy (25%), however haematological cancers were most common in the distal group (29%). Distal upper limb metastases have distinct features that distinguish them from proximal lesions.
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