Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1975 Jun;28(6):457–464. doi: 10.1136/jcp.28.6.457

Cor pulmonale due to tumour embolism derived from intrasinusoidal metastatic liver carcinoma.

R A Burnett
PMCID: PMC475743  PMID: 1141445

Abstract

Two cases of primary breast carcinoma are described, both terminating in acute cardiorespiratory failure due to multiple tumour micro-embolism. In both cases the source of the emboli was extensive metastatic intrasinusoidal carcinomatous infliltration of the liver. The association of these two uncommon conditions has not previously been reported. A brief review of the literature pertaining to diffuse intrasinusoidal metastatic carcinomaof the liver and to carcinomatous pulmonary embolism is included. The latter condition may be commoner and of greater clinical significance than his hitherto been appreciated. Some of the factors which may be responsible for this peculiar type of tumour dissemination are discussed.

Full text

PDF
457

Images in this article

458Image
on p.458
460Image
on p.460
460Image
on p.460
461Image
on p.461
461Image
on p.461
462Image
on p.462

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Altemus L. R., Lee R. E. Carcinomatosis of the lung with pulmonary hypertension. Pathoradiologic spectrum. Arch Intern Med. 1967 Jan;119(1):32–38. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BAGSHAWE K. D., BROOKS W. D. Subacute pulmonary hypertension due to chorionepithelioma. Lancet. 1959 Mar 28;1(7074):653–658. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(59)92402-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BERGOFSKY E. H., TURINO G. M., FISHMAN A. P. Cardiorespiratory failure in kyphoscoliosis. Medicine (Baltimore) 1959 Sep;38:263–317. doi: 10.1097/00005792-195909000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. DURHAM J. R., ASHLEY P. F., DORENCAMP D. Cor pulmonale due to tumor emboli; review of literature and report of a case. JAMA. 1961 Mar 4;175:757–760. doi: 10.1001/jama.1961.03040090017003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Densert O., Söderström J. Diffuse metastases in bronchial cancer. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1965;64(4):477–484. doi: 10.1111/apm.1965.64.4.477. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. LIEBER M. M. The rare occurrence of metastatic carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver. Am J Med Sci. 1957 Feb;233(2):145–152. doi: 10.1097/00000441-195702000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. MICOLONGHI T., PINEDA E., STANLEY M. M. Metastatic carcinomatous cirrhosis of the liver; report of a case in which death followed hemorrhage from esophageal varices and hepatic coma. AMA Arch Pathol. 1958 Jan;65(1):56–62. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. STOREY P. B., GOLDSTEIN W. Pulmonary embolization from primary hepatic carcinoma. Arch Intern Med. 1962 Aug;110:262–269. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1962.03620200122021. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. STORSTEIN O. Circulatory failure in metastatic carcinoma of the lung; a physiologic and pathologic study of its pathogenesis. Circulation. 1951 Dec;4(6):913–919. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.4.6.913. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Saphir O. The Fate of Carcinoma Emboli in the Lung. Am J Pathol. 1947 Mar;23(2):245–253. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. WATSON A. J. Diffuse intra-sinusoidal metastatic carcinoma of the liver. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1955 Jan-Apr;69(1-2):207–217. doi: 10.1002/path.1700690128. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Winterbauer R. H., Elfenbein I. B., Ball W. C., Jr Incidence and clinical significance of tumor embolization to the lungs. Am J Med. 1968 Aug;45(2):271–290. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(68)90044-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES