A 32 year-old, wiring worker, with a history of bloody sputum three times 2 years ago, was admitted with expectration of bloody sputum several times a day for five days.
A chest film on admission revealed several sharply delinated round lesions up to 3×3cm in size in the both lungs. No other abnformalities were shown by labolatory examinations including bronchoscopy, bronchoscopic biopsy and cytological examination of sputum.
As the tumors on the both sides showed a rapid increase in size and number, and cavitation in some of them during a short period of observation, the exploratory thoracotomy and laparotomy were carried out at the same time for the purpose of detection of the nature of the tumor and location of the primary focus. One tumor in S
3a of the right lung was removed.In the abdomen, a thumb tip sized tumor was palpable in the pelvic retro-peritoneal region without detection of any other abnormalities in the other organs.
Histopathologically, the biopsied tumor was diagnosed as undifferenciated polymorphic giant cell carcinoma of the lung, but a possibility of choriocarcinoma could not be excluded.Then, Friedman's reaction test was performed and it revealed a level as high as 100, 000 IU/1. In addition, a gradual development of gynecomastia was noted but no tumor was palpable in the testicles.
Under the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma metastasized to the lung, Methtraxate in a dosis of 15mg once a week, Binblastin in a dosis of 0.1mg/kg twice a week and Dexamethasone in a dosis of 8mg daily were administered continuously for about three and a half months. A LDH value in serum went up to a high level of 3, 540 U. two months after operation but it was gradually decreased in pararell with a reduction of gynecomastia. However, his general condition showed gradual aggravation with an increase of bloody sputum in amount and frequency He died of the respiratory insufficiency five months after admission.
Autopsy showed numerous tumors up to 5×5cm in dimensions in the lungs, three tumors up to 3×3cm in the liver and one tumor of 5×5cm in the pelvic retro-peritoneal region, which were considered to be the metastatic lesions.One small greyish white tumor about 5mm in diameter was found in the left testicle which was considered to be the primary focus.
Tumors found in the both lungs, liver and retro-peritoneal region revealed a quite similar macroscopic and microscopic findings, in which central necrosis was remarkable, and the remaining tumor tissue consisted mainly of sheets of cells with bright cytoplasma and nuclei approximately 12μ in diameter. In addition, giant cells resembling syncytial cells were noted.Accordingly, histological diagnosis of choriocarcinoma was made.
Tumor in the left testicle, however, showed a quite different picture from that of the tumors above mentioned. It consisted of uniformly small round cells with bright cytoplasma and nuclei well stained by Hematoxylin without a honey-cumb structure and was diagnosed as seminoma histologically.
The bioassay of gonadotropin activity of the pulmonary tumors autopsied showed a value of 70 RU, whereas the control was 10 to 50 RU. The pulmonary tumor, therefore, was diagnosed as the gonadotropin producing one.
It is well documented that tumor of germ cell origin has a totipotentiality of differenciating to seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma. And it presumably occurred in this patient.Namely, a growth of germ cell origin differenciated into seminoma in the left testicle and choriocarcinoma in the metastatic lesions in the lungs, liver and retro-peritoneal region.
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