[Clinico-pathological study of giant cell carcinoma of the lung]

Giant cell carcinoma of the lung is not so commonly found compared to other types of lung carcinoma. Six cases of giant cell carcinoma were experienced in our hospital for these 15 years. Five cases were resected, in 3 of these combined partial resection of surrounding thoracic organs (chest wall, pericardium and other pulmonary lobe) was performed. The mean age of these patients was 56. Most of these tumors were located at the peripheral zone including of intermediate zone in the lung and foci of adenocarcinoma or epidermoid carcinoma were found in 3 cases. We thought the tissue origin of pulmonary giant cell carcinoma might be in the area of bronchial or bronchiloar epithelium. All cases died within a year. Because of its very poor prognosis we would like to emphasize giant cell carcinoma should be distinguished clinically from the usual type of large cell anaplastic carcinoma or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.