[Long-term survival following multimodality treatment of metachronous metastases (parotid gland, adrenal gland, brain and mediastinal lymph node) after resection of non-small cell lung cancer; report of a case].

We describe a case of long-term survival following multimodality treatment of metachronous metastases (parotid gland, adrenal gland, brain and mediastinal lymph node) after resection of non-small cell lung cancer. A 72-year-old man had a past history of right upper lobectomy for pT3N0M0 tubular adenocarcinoma of the lung 12 years ago and left lower lobectomy for pT3N1M0 papillary adenocarcinoma of the lung 42 months ago, and left parotidectomy and irradiation to the neck for parotid metastasis 20 months ago. A progressive increase in serum CEA level during the follow-up period revealed a 5 cm left adrenal mass and small (1 cm or less) multiple brain metastases, and a 2 cm mediastinal lymph node. He underwent adrenalectomy and gamma knife surgery and received irradiation to the mediastinum, and was administered gefitinib as first-line chemotherapy for about a year. Brain metastases recurred despite 4 more rounds of gamma knife surgery and 4 cycles of docetaxel hydrate as second-line chemotherapy, and 1 cycle of vinorelbine ditartrate as third-line chemotherapy. He died of multiple brain metastases 65 months postoperatively. We confirm the possibility of long-term survival following multimodality treatment even though multiple organ metastases were found after resection of non-small cell lung cancer.