[Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma]

Bull Cancer. 2012 Oct;99(10):995-1001. doi: 10.1684/bdc.2012.1619.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas are a rare group of tumors accounting for about 1 % of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). In 2004, World Health Organization classification united under this name all the carcinomas with sarcomatous or sarcomatous-like component with spindle cell or giant cell appearance. There are five subtypes: spindle cell carcinoma, giant cell carcinoma, pleomorphic carcinoma, carcino-sarcoma and pulmonary blastoma. Clinical characteristics are not specific from the others subtypes of NSCLC. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition pathway may play a key role. Patients are frequently symptomatic. Tumors are voluminous more often peripherical than central, with strong fixation on FDG TEP CT. Distant metastasis are frequent with atypical locations such as peritoneal or retroperitoneal sites. These tumors have poorer prognosis than the other NSCLC subtypes because of great aggressivity, and frequent chemoresistance. Here, we present a review of litterature in order to better describe these tumors.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma / chemistry
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Giant Cell / chemistry
  • Carcinoma, Giant Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Giant Cell / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / chemistry
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy
  • Carcinosarcoma / chemistry
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology
  • Carcinosarcoma / therapy
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Prognosis
  • Pulmonary Blastoma / chemistry
  • Pulmonary Blastoma / pathology
  • Pulmonary Blastoma / therapy
  • Rare Diseases / genetics
  • Rare Diseases / pathology*
  • Rare Diseases / therapy
  • Tumor Burden