We describe a case of pleomorphic carcinoma showing a recurrent tumor with massive hemorrhage and myxoid change in the chest wall 2 months after complete resection. Whereas specimens from the initial surgery revealed both adenosquamous carcinoma and sarcomatous elements, the recurrent tumor predominantly consisted of a sarcomatous element. The recurrent tumor had stronger immunoreactivity for mesenchymal markers than the primary tumor, indicating that the sarcomatous element had more malignant potential than the epithelial element.
BeasleyMBBrambillaETravisWD. The 2004 World Health Organization classification of lung tumors [Review]. Semin Roentgenol2005; 40: 90–97.
2.
MochizukiTIshiiGNagaiKYoshidaJNishimuraMMizunoT. Pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung: clinicopathologic characteristics of 70 cases. Am J Surg Pathol2008; 32: 1727–1735.
3.
YukiTSakumaTOhbayashiCYoshimuraMTsubotaNOkitaY. Pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung: a surgical outcome. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg2007; 134: 399–404.
4.
NakajimaMKasaiTHashimotoHIwataYManabeH. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung: a clinicopathologic study of 37 cases. Cancer1999; 86: 608–616.
5.
ShintaniYHollingsworthMAWheelockMJJohnsonKR. Collagen I promotes metastasis in pancreatic cancer by activating c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase 1 and up-regulating N-cadherin expression. Cancer Res2006; 66: 11745–11753.
6.
BlaukovitschMHalbwedlIKothmaierHGogg-KammererMPopperHH. Sarcomatoid carcinomas of the lung—are these histogenetically heterogeneous tumors?Virchows Arch2006; 449: 455–461.
7.
PelosiGSonzogniADe PasTGalettaDVeronesiGSpaggiariL. Review article: pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas: a practical overview. Int J Surg Pathol2010; 18: 103–120.
8.
RavegliaFMezzettiMPanigalliTFuriaSGiulianiLConfortiS. Personal experience in surgical management of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma. Ann Thorac Surg2004; 78: 1742–1747.
