Lung carcinoid tumor biology: treatment and survival.

A carcinoid tumor is a rare malignant disease which can be cured when localized and treated by surgery. Chemotherapy is not effective, and somatostatin is used for palliation. Rarely is the disease aggressive, and thus does not contribute to a shortening of patient survival. The aim of this study was to define the treatment and survival of patients with primary lung carcinoid tumors. Forty-three patients (26 males, 17 females; median age 43 years, range 11-73 years), from 1993 to 2007, were included in this study. All patients had histologically confirmed carcinoid tumors. The site of the disease at diagnosis was the lung in all 43 patients. All patients underwent surgery which involved mainly typical or sleeve lobectomy. Eight patients had a pneumonectomy. One patient had the primary tumor excised for palliation as there were metastases in the liver. Somatostatin palliative treatment was administered to 4 patients; 1 with liver and 3 with lung recurrence. Two of the 43 patients died within 2 years after surgery. The median survival was not reached as all patients, apart from 2, were alive after a median follow-up of 5 years (mean survival 159 months). As a rule, a carcinoid tumor is an extremely slow-growing disease with some rare exceptions. All of our patients had primary lung disease. All, apart from 2, were alive at the end of the study, and 93% were without recurrence for a duration of 6 months to 13 years. The patients with liver metastases who underwent no specific treatment had a median survival as long as 8 years.

Multiple cervical and intrathoracic plexoid neurofibromas. Case report.

A 29-year-old male with known von Recklinghausen's disease is presented. The main symptom of the patient was paroxysmal episodes of pain and numbness in the right upper hand for the last 10 years. Cervical and mediastial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed 3 large tumors originating from the right vagus nerve and another of the same origin contralaterally. Surgical resection of the masses in the right hemithorax was performed via right posterolateral thoracotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful and symptoms recessed. Plexoid neurofibromas were diagnosed at histological examination. The mass in the left hemithorax is under surveillance according to the patient's preference. The clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological features of this rare case are discussed.

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in an adult presenting as lung abscess.

The case of a 21-year-old male with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation is presented. His medical history started after his birth with recurrent pulmonary infections during his infancy. Lung abscess of the right lower lobe was suspected and right lower lobectomy was performed to remove a sizeable mass infiltrating the largest part of the lobe. The clinical features, diagnostic procedures, differential diagnosis, pathologic characteristics, therapeutic assessment, etiopathology and prognosis of the tumor are discussed.

Inflammatory pseudotumor: a controversial entity.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung is considered to be a rare, benign, neoplastic lesion, consisting mainly of spindle mesenchymal cells, sometimes in such a way that its histological appearance mimics that of a spindle cell sarcoma, fibrous histiocytoma or fibrosarcoma. On the occasion of a case managed in our department, the literature is reviewed, in an attempt to clarify some issues concerning this tumor. Emphasis is given to complete resection of the tumor for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Malignant behavior may occur and recurrence is possible.