Metastasis-induced acute pancreatitis in a patient with small cell carcinoma of the lung.

CONTEXT Pancreatic metastases are relatively common in advanced lung cancers (both small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma), but metastasis-induced acute pancreatitis is very unusual. CASE REPORT A 51-year-old woman with small cell carcinoma of the lung developed acute pancreatitis as the initial manifestation. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed multiple pancreatic metastases which were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Conventional treatment did not improve her condition. However, aggressive chemotherapy resulted in a dramatic recovery from the acute pancreatitis and significant improvement in her general condition. CONCLUSION When cases of acute pancreatitis in patients with small cell lung carcinoma are encountered, we must consider the possibility of metastasis-induced acute pancreatitis and that, should pancreatic metastases be found in these patients, chemotherapy may provide substantial benefit.