ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Distant metastases in head and neck cancer are often to the lung, and rarely to the skin sites. METHOD: To ascertain that a skin metastasis indicates a poor prognosis, a review was conducted of patients with head and neck cancer. RESULTS: Three out of seven patients had evidence of local recurrence at the time of development of the skin metastases, and three out of seven had evidence of distant metastases. The average survival time was 1 month after the development of skin metastases. CONCLUSION: Skin metastases may represent the first clinical evidence of impending recurrence or distant metastasis. The development of skin metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis. Current treatment options are limited in their efficacity.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/secondary , Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/mortality , Skin Neoplasms/secondary , Aged , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/therapy , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Retrospective Studies , Skin Neoplasms/therapy , Survival RateABSTRACT
Tracheopathia osteoplastica is a benign cartilaginous and osseous metaplasia of the laryngo-tracheobronchial tree diagnosed more commonly in adults over 50 years of age. We report here the case of a 54-year-old man who underwent thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Immediately after an uneventful surgery, he developed an acute respiratory failure with radiologic picture of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Mechanical ventilation was set up again, bronchoscopy with biopsy disclosed a massive tracheobronchial haemorrhage from a tracheopathia osteoplastica. Supportive treatment was successfully provided and the patient resumed to a normal life 14 days after the operation.
Subject(s)
Goiter/surgery , Hemothorax/etiology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/etiology , Thyroidectomy/adverse effects , Tracheal Diseases/etiology , Tracheal Diseases/pathology , Biopsy, Needle , Bronchoscopy/methods , Follow-Up Studies , Goiter/pathology , Hemothorax/physiopathology , Hemothorax/therapy , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Postoperative Complications/surgery , Respiration, Artificial , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/physiopathology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/therapy , Risk Assessment , Thyroidectomy/methods , Tracheal Diseases/therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Tracheopathia osteoplastica is a benign cartilaginous and osseous metaplasia of the laryngo-tracheobronchial tree diagnosed more commonly in adults over 50 years of age. We report here the case of a 54-year-old man who underwent thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Immediately after an uneventful surgery, he developed an acute respiratory failure with radiologic picture of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Mechanical ventilation was set up again, bronchoscopy with biopsy disclosed a massive tracheobronchial haemorrhage from a tracheopathia osteoplastica. Supportive treatment was successfully provided and the patient resumed to a normal life 14 days after the operation.
