Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the larynx with neck and distant subcutaneous metastases. A case report with fine needle aspiration cytology.
BACKGROUND
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract is an unusual neoplasm with divergent cellular differentiation. Typically this carcinoma is a squamous cell carcinoma with spindle and giant cell components and may be misinterpreted as a sarcoma.


METHODS
A 56-year-old, diabetic male presented with a 2.5-cm, left-sided neck mass. Fine needle aspiration showed a mixture of malignant squamous and spindle cells. A third population of osteoclastlike giant cells was also present. Similar cells were aspirated from a subcutaneous left leg lesion months later.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnosis of a sarcomatoid carcinoma of the larynx should be considered when malignant epithelial, spindle and giant cells are present in aspirated smear material from the neck.
Grossl
N
N
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Tadros
T S
TS
Naib
Z M
ZM
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed