Resection of an unsuspected primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma

Abstract

Primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma is an exceedingly rare clinical entity in men. In this report, we present a man with an asymptomatic pulmonary mass, which was diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer by the use of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy, who underwent left upper lobectomy. Final pathologic examination proved this tumor to be primary choriocarcinoma of the lung. We conclude that surgical resection of incidental primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma, an extremely fatal malignancy, may be an appropriate treatment of choice.