Deciduoid pleural mesothelioma affecting a young female without prior asbestos exposure

Pleural mesothelioma is commonly associated to asbestos exposure. A 40-year -old woman is described who presented with shortness of breath. She had a s moking history but no history of asbestos exposure. Chest radiography and c omputed tomography showed a large tumour on the right lower lung. An open p leural biopsy was performed, A metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pleura was primarily diagnosed, The tumour progressed and after surgical excision an a ccurate histological and immunohistochemical examination was performed, It revealed a pleural mesothelioma with a deciduoid differentiation that has n ot been described before. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.