ABSTRACT

Background and Aims: Pleomorphic carcinoma is a rare tumour of the lung. The aim of the present study was to evaluate clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with pleomorphic pulmonary carcinoma.

Methods: The records of the pathology department from January 2005 to December 2013 were evaluated. Twenty cases of pleomorphic pulmonary carcinoma were identified and studied.

Results: There were 18 male and two female patients. Their ages ranged from 38 to 81 years, with the mean age of 63.4 years. Eighteen (90%) patients had smoking history. All patients were symptomatic. The most common radiological finding was a solitary mass, followed by solitary pulmonary nodule. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed an endobronchial lesion in six (30%) patients. Pathological diagnosis of pleomorphic carcinoma was made by bronchoscopic biopsy in two (10%) patients and surgical biopsy in 18 (90%) patients. Four (20 %) patients had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Fifteen patients underwent surgical resection. Lobectomy was the most common surgical procedure. Pathologically, the epithelial component of the tumour was squamous cell carcinoma in 13 (65%) patients and adenocarcinoma in 7 (35%) patients. Survival time for 11 patients was six months or shorter than six months. Survival time ranged from one month to 97 months, with a median survival time of six months.

Conclusions: Pleomorphic carcinoma is a rare tumour of the lung. Pathological diagnosis of this tumour is usually established by surgical biopsy. The prognosis of patients with pleomorphic pulmonary carcinoma is poor despite complete surgical resection.