Surgical Treatment of Synchronous Multiple Primary Lung Cancer: Report of Two Cases

Abstract

The presence of more than 1 distinct lung cancer in the same patient, or multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) is a rarely seen condition. Multiple lung cancers are classified as synchronous when more than 1 type of lung cancer is detected at the same time, and as metachronous tumors if the second tumor is detected some months after the first lesion. Synchronous tumors are more rare and the treatment and prognosis differs from that observed in metastatic lung cancers. In recent years, thanks to the development of radiological modalities, such as multislice computed tomography and positron emission tomography-computed tomography, as well as invasive diagnostic methods, such as endobronchial ultrasound, transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy, and transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy, the detection rate of synchronous tumors has increased.

Keywords

• synchronous tumor
• multiple lung cancer
• surgical treatment
• metachronous tumor