[Bronchopulmonary carcinosarcoma]

Abstract

Introduction: Bronchopulmonary carcinosarcoma is an uncommon neoplasm consisting of mixed malignant epithelial and mesenchymal cells.

Exegesis: We report a case of bronchopulmonary carcinosarcoma in a 62-year-old man illustrating some characteristics of this tumor of poor prognosis and unknown histogenesis.

Conclusion: Bronchopulmonary carcinosarcoma has clinical and X rays features identical to those of bronchopulmonary epithelial malignant tumors. Most of the authors consider that a totipotential cell might be at the origin of this "mixed" tumor. Although 90% of bronchopulmonary carcinosarcomas are resectable, their prognosis is worse than that of other lung cancers, with a 6-month median survival.