title: Presence of malignant mesothelial cells in the sputum.
abstract: Malignant pleural mesothelioma and peripheral adenocarcinoma, of the lung, also known as pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma, have similar clinical and radiological characteristics and even similar microscopic findings, and this makes it difficult to differentiate them. Malignant pleural mesothelioma rarely invades the bronchial lamina or bronchioloalveolar spaces, and tumor cells are not usually found in the sputum. Therefore, the appearance of tumor cells in sputum more likely supports the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer. We report a rare case in which malignant pleural mesothelioma cells were found in the sputum. For the differential diagnosis of a mass involving both the pleura and lung, physicians should consider that malignant mesothelial cells can be found in the sputum, although this is very rare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kwang Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Baek-Yeol
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Ryoo
authors.forename: Im Ii
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Sung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jae Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Cheol Hyeon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013183:Sputum; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed