A Case of Pleomorphic Carcinoma of the Lung Diagnosed by a Transbronchial Biopsy

Abstract

Background. Pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung is often diagnosed based on its pathological characteristics assessed during an operation or at autopsy. We herein report a case of pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung that was diagnosed by a transbronchial biopsy. Case. An asymptomatic 75-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because nodular shadows were found on chest X-ray. Chest computed tomography showed a tumor shadow with a long axis of 4 cm progressing along the bronchus lumen alone with a 1.2-cm nodule. After performing a biopsy of this tumor using a bronchoscope, we diagnosed it as pleomorphic carcinoma. We performed upper lobectomy and diagnosed the patient with pleomorphic carcinoma of lung with pT2N0M0 stage IB and hamartoma. Conclusion. This case was able to be diagnosed by a transbronchial biopsy because the tumor progressed along the bronchus lumen and consisted of spindle cells and giant cells.