Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung.
BACKGROUND
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. Its appearance as a primary lung tumor is extremely rare. The cell origin of MFH remains controversial. The treatment of choice for MFH is surgical resection, while the role of chemo- and radiotherapy remains unclear.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of 5 patients operated on for primary MFH in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Medical University in Gdansk between 1990 and 2000 was performed.


RESULTS
Out of approximately 2000 patients operated on for primary malignant lung tumors, five (0.25 %) had MFH. The mean age of the 4 men and 1 woman was 62 years. In all cases radical resection was performed without adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy. Four patients died within 2 - 7 months after the operation, three of them from distant metastases. The follow-up of one patient is not available. One patient is alive 11 years after the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Although surgical resection of MFH is the treatment of choice in MFH, the results are unsatisfactory.
Rzyman
W
W
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. wrzyman@amg.gda.pl
Jaskiewicz
K
K
Murawski
M
M
Sternau
A
A
Marjanski
T
T
Karmolinski
A
A
Dziadziuszko
R
R
D005260:Female; D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey