Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2016 Jun;33(1):72-75. 10.12701/yujm.2016.33.1.72.

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma misconceived as pulmonary metastasis of other malignancies

• Noh GT
• Lee KJ
• Sohn HJ
• Lee KH
• Heo WS
• Koh BS
• Han UM
• Bae YA

• KMID: 2328120
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2016.33.1.72

Abstract

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare, low-to-intermediate malignant tumor of endothelial origin. Computed tomography (CT) findings of PEH demonstrate multiple small bilateral nodules; however, to the best of our knowledge, there were no reports on PEH coexisting with other malignancies. Here, we reported on a case involving PEH in a patient with colon cancer and breast cancer which was misconceived as pulmonary meta-stasis. A 63-year-old woman who suffered from constipation for 2 weeks visited our hospital. Colonoscopy showed a large mass with obstruction on hepatic flexure. The histological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma of the ascending colon. Multiple nodules in both lungs and breast were observed on a chest CT scan. A core biopsy of a breast nodule was performed and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast was made. Pulmonary nodules observed on the chest CT scan was considered as pulmonary metastasis from colon or breast cancer. Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy was performed. At the same time, wedge resection of the lung was performed and pathological diagnosis was PEH. Radiologic features of PEH were difficult to distinguish from lung metastasis. Therefore the author reported a rare case involving PEH in a patient with primary malignancy of colon and breast.

Keyword

Hemangioendothelioma; Epithelioid; Metastasis

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Biopsy
Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Carcinoma, Ductal
Colon
Colon, Ascending
Colonic Neoplasms
Colonoscopy
Constipation
Diagnosis
Female
Hemangioendothelioma
Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid*
Humans
Lung
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed