Primary giant cell malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung: A case report

A rare case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of giant cell type originatin g in the lung of a 46-year-old woman is presented. The patient complained o f having a cough that had lasted for a few weeks. A chest X-ray photograph showed a tumor shadow on the left lung. Histological and cytological examin ation of the biopsy specimen revealed that the tumor was a kind of sarcoma. An operative procedure was selected because of tumor invasion into the tru nk of the left pulmonary artery, which was discovered on computed tomograph y examination, and because metastatic tumor was excluded clinically. The tu mor was almost encapsulated and 6 x 6 x 6 cm in size; however, it also show ed invasion into the pulmonary artery and bronchial lumen. A histological s urvey of the tumor showed a wide range of patterns such as fibrous, pleomor phic, fascicular and osteoclast-like giant cell figures; however, the osteo clast-like giant cell area was predominant. Immunohistochemically, the tumo r cells were positive for vimentin, CD68 for histiocytic marker and alpha(1 )-antichymotrypsin and negative for keratin, epithelial membrane antigen, S -100 protein, MT-1 desmin, myoglobin and lysosome. No primary tumor was fou nd clinically in any part of the patient's body at 2 and 4 months after ope ration. Consequently, she was diagnosed as having primary giant cell malign ant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung.