[Malignant double tumor of the lung: endobronchial carcinosarcoma in the left and polypous squamous cell carcinoma in the right upper lobe].

According to MOORE, two types of carcinosarcoma in the lung may be distinguished: one with a peripheral and one with an endobronchial localization. The latter type is characterized by minimal local infiltration, absence of distant metastases and early symptomatology of bronchial obstruction. This report deals with the autopsy findings in a 67-year-old smoker in whom a typical endobronchial carcinosarcoma was found in the left upper lobe. In all the published cases, as well as in our patient, the epithelial part of the tumor was found to be a squamous cell carcinoma with varying grades of differentiation. On the other hand, the mesenchymal part has not been uniformly described. In the present case, it occurred as a spindle-cell shaped sarcoma. Morphologically, carcinosarcomas are to be distinguished from carcinomas associated with pseudosarcoma. Prognosis of successfully operated patients seems to be favourable. Survivals of up to 6 years without recurrence have been reported. In our patient the carcinosarcoma was associated with a polypoid squamous cell carcinoma in the right upper lobe. No other case with such a combination has been reported.