Epithelial–mesenchymal transition in pulmonary carcinosarcoma: case report and literature review

Abstract

Pulmonary carcinosarcoma is a rare and aggressive neoplasm that has both epithelial and mesenchymal components. We report on a 63-year-old woman who was found to have a right upper-lobe pulmonary carcinosarcoma with metastases to the liver and gastric fundus. There are currently no published guidelines on the treatment of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas. However, with our expanding knowledge of cancer metastasis, cases of carcinosarcoma illustrate our current understanding of epithelial–mesenchymal transition in action. Here, we discuss the development and treatment of these biphasic tumors and the possible role of epithelial–mesenchymal transition.