[Case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma and a summary of 17 cases reported in Japan]

The patient was a 69-year-old man who complained of dyspnea and severe general fatigue. Chest CT showed a large tumor (6 x 5 cm) in the left S3 together with left pleural effusion. Despite pleurodesis and chemotherapy, he died 1.5 months after admission. At autopsy, a final diagnosis of pulmonary carcinosarcoma was obtained. We have summarized 17 cases of pulmonary carcinosarcoma reported in Japan. All patients were men, and had an average age of 68 years. The majority of the patients were heavy smokers. Death was reported in 70% of cases, the median survival period being 5 months, whereas the patients reported as living had operable cases of T2 tumor without distant metastatic lesions.