Case Report

Pulmonary carcinosarcoma initially presenting as invasive aspergillosis: a case report of previously unreported combination

Ariyo O Olobatoke¹ , Doina David² , Wasif Hafeez³ , Thien Van² and Husain A Saleh²

¹  Department of Medicine, Sinai Grace Hospital/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA

²  Department of Pathology, Wayne State University and Detroit Medical Center/Sinai Grace Hospital Detroit Michigan, USA

³  Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Sinai Grace Hospital/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA

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Diagnostic Pathology 2010, 5:11doi:10.1186/1746-1596-5-11

Published:	29 January 2010

Abstract

Carcinosarcoma of the lung is a malignant tumor composed of a mixture of carcinoma and sarcoma elements. The carcinomatous component is most commonly squamous followed by adenocarcinoma. The sarcomatous component commonly comprises the bulk of the tumor and shows poorly differentiated spindle cell features. Foci of differentiated sarcomatous elements such as chondrosarcoma and osteosarcoma may be seen. Aspergillus pneumonia is the most common form of invasive aspergillosis and occurs mainly in patients with malignancy, immunocompromizing or debilitating diseases. Patients with Aspergillus pneumonia present with fever, cough, chest pain and occasionally hemoptysis. Tissue examination is the most reliable method for diagnosis, and mortality rate is high.

We describe a case of primary carcinosarcoma of the lung concurrently occurring with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a 66-year old patient.