Primary pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare vascular tumor with low to intermediate malignancy.
• Radiological findings often include multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules, punctate calcifications, and pleural thickening.

Observation:

• A case report of a woman in her 50s with a history of lung adenocarcinoma is presented.
• Serial chest CT scans revealed multiple small pulmonary nodules, initially misdiagnosed as lung metastases.
• Histopathological diagnosis was confirmed via pulmonary wedge resection.

Findings:

• PEH diagnosis was established through positive immunohistochemistry staining for CD31, ERG, and TFE3.
• Clinicopathological features and a literature review were investigated.
• The study emphasizes the critical role of histological diagnosis in differentiating PEH.

Implications:

• Highlights the diagnostic challenges of PEH, especially in patients with a history of malignancy.
• Underscores the necessity of integrating imaging, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry for accurate PEH diagnosis.
• Contributes to understanding the clinicopathological spectrum of this rare pulmonary neoplasm.