Multiple sites of soft-tissue metastases secondary to lung cancer: A case report

RATIONALE: The prognosis of lung cancer is dismal, which has resulted in lung carcinoma being one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 80% of all types of lung carcinoma. The skeletal system and central nervous system are the most common distal metastatic sites in patients with lung cancer, while cutaneous and soft tissues metastasis is rare. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of concomitant metastasis in the nasal tip and suspected buttocks metastasis secondary to lung cancer, who complained of repeated cough and white sputum for 6 months. DIAGNOSE: Primary lung cancer was diagnosed by bronchoscopy and biopsy, lesion on nasal tip was confirmed by biopsy. Furthermore, PET-CT scan identified the untouchable buttocks lesion that could have been easily missed. INTERVENTIONS: This patient refused systemic treatments, but he chose traditional Chinese medicine at home. OUTCOMES: He died 6 months after the diagnosis. LESSONS: The possibility of metastasis of primary cancers should be considered when encountering soft-tissue neoplasm lesions, and a biopsy of the suspicious cutaneous lesions could likely aid in the histological identification of the primary cancer. PET-CT scan could be an effective supplementary tool for the diagnosis and evaluation of cancers.