Primary vascular tumors of the lungs: a review

Abstract

Unlike their counterparts in other organ systems, primary vascular neoplasms of the lung are rare. Most of these lesions have only been reported as isolated case studies or small series. When dealing with malignant lesions, metastasis from extrapulmonary sites will have to be excluded before a primary location in the lungs can be confirmed. In this review, the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypical, ultrastructural, and molecular biologic characteristics of primary vascular tumors of the lungs are discussed. The tumoral conditions that will be addressed include hemangioma, lymphangioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, angiosarcoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma. Their respective differential diagnoses will also be discussed.