Endobronchial endometriosis presenting as central-type lung cancer: a case report

Abstract

A 45-year-old female patient was referred to our hospital for complaining of dyspnea and coughing in the past four months. The computed tomography scanning demonstrated a central lesion in the upper lobe of the left lung close to the hilar, and the subsequent bronchoscopy revealed a polypoid lesion of the distal of the left main bronchus. This patient was diagnosed clinically as "possibly central-type lung cancer". However, the pathologic result of the surgically excised polypoid lesion was endobronchial endometriosis.

Virtual slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1077439085928525.

Figure 1

Bronchoscopic examination showing a pink-red polypoid lesion blocked the left main bronchus.

Figure 2

The endometrial-like glands and stromal cells were found under the bronchial epithelium (A). The ectopic glandular structures surrounded by a densely distributed endometrial-like stroma, and the glands predominantly showed a single layer of columnar cells similar to the endometrial epithelial lining with basal nuclei, and no marked cytological atypia could be observed (B). A, HE×100; B, HE×200.

Figure 3

The bronchial epithelium and the glands were positive for CK, while the stromal cells were negative (A). The alveolar epithelial cells were positive for TTF-1 (B). The ectopic glands and the endometrial-like stromal cells were positive for ER (C). The endometrial-like stromal cells were positive for CD10 (D). A-D, SP×200.