Metastatic germ cell tumor of the lung masquerading as primary rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract

Two years after testicular resection was carried out in a 40-year-old man that revealed mixed germ cell tumor of more than one histological type (seminoma, embryonal cell carcinoma, and yolk sac tumor), he presented with an asymptomatic pulmonary nodule in his left lower lobe. Video-assisted thoracoscopic partial resection of the tumor revealed a 24 × 20 mm teratoma with somatic-type malignancy in which pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma was a major element. One year later, asymptomatic tumor recurrence occurred at both edges of the stapler line as 22 × 20 mm and 10 × 5 mm nodules composed only of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma. Throughout the course there was no abdominal lymph node swelling detected by computed tomography (CT) and tumor markers were normal. Adjuvant chemotherapy was started after the tumor recurrence. Currently, the patient is still undergoing chemotherapy 5 months after the tumor recurrence. In conclusion, despite the fact that primary pulmonary rhabdromyosarcoma is a rare neoplasm, metastatic pulmonary germ cell tumor with somatic-type malignancy showing predominantly rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lesions of the lung.