Mediastinoscopic Observations Of Metastatic Spread In Pulmonary Carcinoma

Abstract

Mediastinoscopy was made in 338 patients with lung cancer and biopsies were taken from paratracheal, parabronchial and carinal lymph ncdes. Positive biopsies were obtained in 159 cases (47%). In 168 right lung tumors, metastases were found ip-silaterally in 49% and contralaterally in 20%. Of 170 left lung tumors, 45% showed metastases ip-silaterally and 25% also on the contralateral side. Contralateral metastases from the right upper lobe were rare (2%). Histologically, epidermoid carcincma showed the lowest number of metastases (34%) while the microcellular anaplastic type had metastases in 81%. When the mediastinal lymph nodes become involved, curative surgery is very rarely useful and radio- or chemotherapy should be considered.