Metastases of cancer to cancer

Abstract

An unusual case of metastasis of cancer to cancer is reported. The initial malignancy, an adenocarcinoma of the kidney (hypernephroma), was found to have widespread metastases involving the lungs, liver, spleen, left adrenal gland, stomach and small intestine. A primary undifferentiated bronchogenic carcinoma originating in the right mainstem bronchus also existed with widespread metastases to the mediastinal lymph nodes, left lung, liver and left kidney with secondary deposits within the sites of the metastatic hypernephroma. A review of the literature is presented and indicates that in most of the reported cases an instance in which both malignancies display widespread metastases is exceedingly rare as is the occurrence of metastases to the metastases, as most situations involve metastasis to the second primary tumor. Copyright © 1968 American Cancer Society