Pleomorphic adenoma of the breast. A case report and distinction from mucinous carcinoma

Pleomorphic adenoma of the breast is a rare, benign tumor accounting for 68 cases in the literature. It is most commonly seen in postmenopausal women and is characterized by an admixture of epithelial and myoepithelial cells embedded in abundant myxomatous stroma. Its clinical and histologic appearance can be challenging and may lead to a misdiagnosis of invasive carcinoma. We report a case of mammary pleomorphic adenoma in an asymptomatic 59-year-old woman and briefly discuss its distinction from mucinous carcinoma through the use of special stains.

Unilateral giant lung metastasis of uterine leiomyosarcoma: diagnostic pitfalls in an unusual case

The lung is a frequent site of hematogenous metastases of many diverse tumors including soft-tissue sarcoma. The authors present a case with unilateral metastatic spread presenting as a giant lung mass, a pattern which, to the authors' knowledge, has not been reported in the literature.

Cardiac metastasis from adenocarcinoma of the lung. Echocardiographic-pathologic correlation

Metastatic cancer to the heart is difficult to diagnose ante-mortem. This report describes a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung who presented with cardiac manifestations mimicking coronary artery disease. Two-dimensional echocardiography demonstrated massive cardiac infiltration with tumor, correlating with subsequent autopsy findings, which were also remarkable for endocardial implants and coronary artery emboli without myocardial infarction. Use of two-dimensional echocardiography may detect intracardiac tumor at an earlier stage.

Tracheoesophageal fistula secondary to esophageal carcinoma presenting with aspiration pneumonia

Tracheoesophageal fistulas should be suspected in patients with recurring chronic aspiration pneumonitis. They are most often secondary to intrathoracic malignancies. A case report of a patient with this disorder is presented, along with a review of pertinent literature.

Pulmonary gangrene occurring as a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis

Eighteen well-documented cases of pulmonary gangrene as a complication of bacterial pulmonary infections have been reported in the literature. These infections were due to Klebsiellapneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Hemophilus influenzae. We describe four patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who developed pulmonary gangrene. Vascular thrombosis and arteritis were found in three of these four patients, and this vascular complication seems to be necessary for the development of pulmonary gangrene.

Asymptomatic pulmonary granular cell tumor presenting as a coin lesion

Granular cell tumor is a rare, usually benign neoplasm of neurogenic origin first described in 1926. Only 46 lesions, including the present case, of the 500 reported cases of this tumor, originated within the tracheobronchial tree. The case reported here is distinctly unusual because of its asymptomatic presentation as a coin lesion on chest roentgenogram. Electron microscopic examination of the tumor is presented.