LUNG CARCINOMAS COMPOSED OF RHABDOID CELLS

Rhabdoid tumours form a distinctive morphological entity that is assoc iated with aggressive biological behaviour, They have been described i n several sites and tumour types, This paper presents three new cases of rhahdoid lung cancers. Lung cancers were analysed for the presence of cells with the rhabdoid phenotype: eccentric vesicular nuclei and a bundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Cells displaying this morphology were then subjected to immunohistochemistry and election microscopy. The re levant clinical data on these cases were then accessed. Three cases co nforming to the morphological, immunophenotypic and ultrastructural ch aracteristics of rhabdoid cells were identified. Two of the cases were associated with foci of adenocarcinoma and the remaining case was a l arge cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, Two of the cases showed rapid clin ical courses with the patients dying of disease within 6 months, Lung tumours with a rhabdoid phenotype are uncommon but are noteworthy beca use of their aggressive behaviour and, hence, poor prognosis.