Clinical Analysis of 15 Patients with Adult-Type Pulmonary Blastoma

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical and histopathological characteristics of pulmonary blastoma(PB),and to review the diagnostic criterion and treatment methods.METHODS Clinical and histopathological data from 15 cases of PB in this hospital,from 1990 to 2006,were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS Surgical procedures were conducted in all 15 patients,including pulmonary lobectomy in 9,lobectomy of the 2 right pulmonary lobes in 2,excision of pulmonary segments in 1,lobectomy and bronchoplasty in 1,lobectomy and angioplasty in 1,and excision of the whole left lung in 1.Of the 15 cases,11 were misdiagnosed as lung cancer,2 were doubted to be a benign tumor before surgery,1 was suspected to be a malignant mesenchymoma,and only 1 was diagnosed as a PB.CONCLUSION Preoperative final diagnosis of PB is very difficult,since the clinical symptoms of the disease are nonspecific.To confirm the diagnosis,comprehensive consideration of the factors,such as the clinical manifestations,morphological characteristics and immunohistochemical tumor markers,should be taken.Surgery is the treatment of choice for PB,and a thorough removal is the key to a cure.PB has a high malignancy and o en recurs and metastasizes,usually with a poor prognosis.