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Lymphoepithelial cyst in the lung: a case report
Rakesh V Alva1, Lawrence Rosenthal, Linda B Haramati
1Departments of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. rakeshalva@aol.com
Chest
|April 10, 2003
Summary
Lymphoepithelial cysts (LECs) can present unusually within the airways in patients with HIV. This case highlights the importance of considering LECs in HIV-infected individuals with pulmonary cysts.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pathology
Background:
- Lymphoepithelial cysts (LECs) are rare benign cysts typically found in the salivary glands.
- Pulmonary manifestations of HIV infection are diverse, ranging from opportunistic infections to neoplasms.
- Endobronchial presentations of pulmonary cysts are uncommon.
Observation:
- A HIV-seropositive patient presented with bilateral infrahilar cysts that had been stable for two years.
- Bronchoscopy revealed an endobronchial mass obstructing the left lower lobe's anterior basilar segment.
- Biopsy of the mass led to cyst decompression and histological confirmation of an LEC.
Findings:
- The cyst's lining showed typical pseudostratified columnar epithelium.
- Intraepithelial lymphocytes, characteristic of LECs, were observed.
- The endobronchial mass was confirmed to be a lymphoepithelial cyst.
Implications:
- This case expands the spectrum of pulmonary presentations of lymphoepithelial cysts.
- It underscores the need to consider LECs in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary cysts in HIV-infected patients.
- Early recognition and diagnosis are crucial for appropriate management.