[Clinicopathologic features of lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma--a report of 17 cases].
OBJECTIVE
Lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma is a rare epithelial malignant tumor. This study was to investigate its clinicopathologic and prognostic characteristics.


METHODS
Clinicopathologic records of 17 patients with lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma were reviewed and compared with those of the patients with other histopathologic types of lung cancer treated in the same period. All patients underwent surgical resection. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazards model was used for prognostic analysis.


RESULTS
The 17 patients consisted of 15 men and 2 women with median age of 58 (45-78)û 5 at stage I, 3 at stage II, and 9 at stage III by pathologic TNM staging. Of the 17 cases of lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma, 2 were lung exclusive spindle cell carcinoma, 5 were lung carcinoma with spindle cells (combined with one kind of epithelial components, such as squamous cell carcinoma in 3 cases, adenocarcinoma in 1 case, and large cell carcinoma in 1 case), 10 were lung carcinoma with giant cell carcinoma (combined with one kind of epithelial components in 5 cases, two kinds in another 5 cases). Four patients at stage I survived free of tumor for more than 5 years. The median survival time was significantly shorter in lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma patients than in lung squamous cell carcinoma patients (36 months vs. 61 months, P=0.027), and was also significantly longer in patients with carcinoma containing spindle cells (including spindle cell carcinoma) than in patients with carcinoma containing giant cells (64 months vs. 18 months,P=0.026). Lymph node metastasis and carcinoma containing giant cells were poor prognostic factors of lung pleomorphic (spindle/giant cell) carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Lung carcinoma containing giant cells has multiple cells components, and has worse prognosis than lung carcinoma containing spindle cells and spindle cells carcinoma do.
Zhao
Zhi-Long
ZL
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China.
Song
Na
N
Huang
Qing-Yuan
QY
Liu
Yun-Peng
YP
Zhao
Hui-Ru
HR
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018286:Carcinoma, Giant Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015996:Survival Rate