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Jung, Shim, Park, Kwon, and Jeon: A Case of Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Lung
Case Report
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2011; 71(5): 363-367.

Published online: 30 November 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2011.71.5.363

A Case of Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Lung

Chi Young Jung, M.D.1, Sang Woo Shim, M.D.1, Chang Kwon Park, M.D.2, Kun Young Kwon, M.D.3, Young June Jeon, M.D.1

1Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

2Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and 3Pathology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

3Department of Pathology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Chi Young Jung, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, 56, Dalseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-712, Korea. Phone: 82-53-250-8095, Fax: 82-53-250-7434, jcy2475@dsmc.or.kr

Received 9 June 2011       Accepted 20 July 2011

Copyright © 2011. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases. All rights reserved.

Abstract

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the lung is a very rare tumor. Originally described in the nasopharynx as lymphoepithelioma, this carcinoma has also been found in the stomach, esophagus, thymus, cervix, urinary bladder, skin, and salivary glands. Histologically, it is an undifferentiated carcinoma that has a syncytial appearance with tumor cells and is infiltrated by numerous lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells. LELC of the lung occurs more commonly in Asians, particularly Chinese. Many studies have reported the association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and LELC of the lung in Asian patients. A 45-year-old man had a solitary pulmonary nodule on a routine chest X-ray examination. As a malignant tumor was suspected, surgical resection was performed to establish the correct diagnosis. The pathology of the excised tumor demonstrated LELC of the lung. This is the first report of LELC of the lung in Korea.

Keywords: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Solitary Pulmonary Nodule, Lung Neoplasms, Herpesvirus 4, Human

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
(A) Chest radiograph shows nodular lesion on the left lower lung field. (B) Chest CT scan shows a 2 cm sized nodule in the anterior basal segment of the left lower lobe. (C, D) F-18 FDG PET-CT scan shows hypermetabolic nodule in the left lower lobe (SUVmax, 6.1). CT: computed tomography; FDG: fluorodeoxyglucose; PET-CT: positron emission tomography-CT.
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Figure 2
(A) Gross appearance reveals 2.5 cm sized round to oval nodule with ill demarcations in the left lower lobe. (B) H&E staining shows a sheet of tumor cells surrounded by abundant lymphoid cells in the stroma (×400). (C) Pan-CK stain shows stained tumor cells (epithelial origin), whereas lymphocytes are not (×200). (D) In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small nuclear RNA shows intense signals in tumor cell nuclei (dark blue) (EBV in situ, ×200).
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