Malignant bronchial Abrikossoff's tumor and small cell lung cancer: A casereport and review

A 61-year-old male Caucasian smoker patient underwent chest radiography and CT scan for persistant non-inflammatory cough, which showed a left bronchi al unresectable mass. Bronchoscopy showed an endobronchial mass; washing cy tology was negative and histology findings suggested diagnosis of granular cell tumor (GCT), also called Abrikossoff's tumor. After 3 weeks a new wash ing cytology test revealed the presence of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). A CT-scan and chest radiography showed a 30% increase in the maximum diamete r of the lesion, clinically defining the primary neoplasm as malignant. The patient was referred to our institution and started chemotherapy with cisp latin and etoposide. After 6 cycles of treatment, the CT scan showed comple te, disappearance of the neoplasm and bronchoscopy examination showed no en dobronchial lesion, defining the mucosal surface as normal. We have reviewe d and summarized the international literature with regard to bronchial loca lization of malignant granular cell tumor and its association with SCLC, th erefore concluding that our case is the first malignant endobronchial GCT l inked to SCLC.