A case of skin metastasis of lung carcinoma associated with superior vena cava syndrome.
An unusual case of lung carcinoma with both skin metastasis and superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is reported. The histological type of the primary lesion as taken by punch biopsy was small cell carcinoma consisting of relatively small cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and scanty cytoplasm. The cutaneous metastatic lesion consisted of large cells with light-staining nuclei and small cells with deep-staining nuclei; it had foci of glandular elements by light microscopy. Neurosecretory granules characteristic of small cell carcinoma were found in the tumor cell cytoplasm by electron microscopy. Cutaneous metastatic rates, complication rates of SVCS, and histological varieties of small cell lung carcinomas are discussed.