Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung with Choriocarcinomatous Component

A 59-year-old male was diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma in the right upper lobe by transbronchial biopsy. He underwent thoracotomy, but because of pleural dissemination the chest was closed. The histology of the biopsied pleural lesions was squamous cell carcinoma. He was treated with combination chemotherapy, however, he died 8 months after the operation. Although the serum level of β-hCG was within the normal range in the early course of disease, it increased to 90.4ng/ml in the end stage. Autopsy disclosed that the lung tumor consisted of squamous cell carcinoma with choriocarcinomatous component, and metastatic lesions in the liver, pancreas and kidney showed characteristic patterns of choriocarcinoma. No other possible primary sites were found. Primary choriocarcinoma of the lung is rare, and hypotheses for its histogenesis were briefly discussed.