Primary proximal epithelioid sarcoma of the lung successfully treated with pneumonectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy

Primary sarcomas of the lung and proximal epithelial sarcomas (PESs) are extremely rare. Inactivation of INI1 has been found in the majority of epithelioid sarcoma (ES). We report the third known case of a primary PES of the lung along with immunohistochemical data. A 41-year-old man with HIV infection, on highly active antiretroviral therapy, presented with haemoptysis, shortness of breath and progressive weight loss for 2 months. He was eventually diagnosed with stage IIA cT2bN0M0 grade-2 primary PES of the lung. This patient underwent pneumonectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy with ifosfamide and doxorubicin. He remains in remission 36 months since diagnosis. Our case stands to help other clinicians as treatment of such rare cases is often reliant on case reports. We also posit a possible pathogenic mechanism given a history of HIV infection in this patient. The association of INI1 mutation with other atypical sarcomas in patients with HIV infection merits further evaluation.