title: Unusual sarcomatoid neoplasm of the lung suggesting a myofibrosarcoma.
abstract: Myofibrosarcoma is a rare neoplasm that occurs mainly in the head and neck region and extremities of middle-aged patients. It often appears as a low-grade sarcoma and rarely metastasizes. We report the case of a 47-year-old male patient with a malignant mesenchymal pulmonary tumor affecting almost the entire lower left lobe. Clinically suggestive for a lung carcinoma, the tumor showed typical features of a myofibrosarcoma. A major spindle cell component was observed being positive for smooth-muscle actin, calponin, and vimentin, while stainings for desmin, h-caldesmon, alkaline phosphatase (ALK), and extensively studied cytokeratins were negative. Striking was a strong infiltrate with neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes. DNA cytometry revealed aneuploidy with a peak in the near triploid range. Comparative genomic hybridization demonstrated multiple DNA gains and losses correlating with an aggressive clinical course. Shortly after resection of the primary tumor, the patient showed multiple distant metastases in the contralateral lung, the mediastinal lymph nodes, the left adrenal gland, and the pectoral and deltoid muscle, which responded well to chemotherapy. The case report will discuss the evidence for the final diagnosis of a primary pulmonary myofibrosarcoma and the differential diagnosis of sarcomatoid tumors of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pathologie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morawietz
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhnen
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Katenkamp
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Coutre
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ladhoff
authors.forename: Iver
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009217:Myosarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology