Pleural epidermoid carcinoma from displaced skin following extrapleural pneumothorax in a patient exposed to asbestos.
This report illustrates a rare case of primary epidermoid carcinoma of the pleura in a patient previously treated by artificial extrapleural pneumothorax for active tuberculosis. The patient had also been occupationally exposed to asbestos. Light microscopic examination showed two different lesions: laminar pleural fragments were covered by normal squamous epithelium that was similar in all respects to epidermis, whereas nodular fragments were composed of well-differentiated infiltrating carcinoma. These findings support the hypothesis that the carcinoma arose from normal epidermis seeded in the pleural cavity during multiple air refills to maintain the pneumothorax. A possible interaction between asbestos fibres and chronic inflammation might have potentiated tumour development.
Sapino
A
A
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Oncology, University of Torino, Italy.
Cavallo
A
A
Donna
A
A
Bussolati
G
G
D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011031:Pneumothorax, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000628:therapy
D001194:Asbestos