A case of difficult-to-diagnose pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma with granulomatous lesions inside the tumor
Hiroki Tomitaa Hisatoshi Hijikataa Ayaka Tsugea Miho Hayakawaa Masashi Kawanamia Masayuki Nishiob
aDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital
bDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daido Hospital
A 43-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a nodule in the right middle lobe of her lung. Transbronchial biopsy detected only non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas. Strongly suspecting the nodule to be lung cancer, we subsequently performed video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The final diagnosis was lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the lung with granulomatous lesions inside the tumor. Because various disorders cause granulomas, further investigation should be considered when pathological findings are inconsistent with the clinical course.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) Non-caseating epithelioid cell granuloma Sarcoid-like reaction
Received 18 May 2018 / Accepted 2 Nov 2018
AJRS, 8(1): 31-35, 2019