Stage IV pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung without recurrence for 6 years: a case report

BACKGROUND: Pleomorphic carcinoma is a rare primary lung carcinoma that occurs at a rate of about 0.3%. Even with complete resection, the tumor usually recurs aggressively, resulting in a poor prognosis. Herein, we report a case of advanced pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung who had a long survival time after resection of the primary and metastatic sites. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to abdominal pain. Systemic examination revealed a lung mass on the right and a tumor in the jejunum. Surgical resection of both tumors revealed pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung with metastasis to the jejunum. Follow-up after 6 years showed that the patient remained recurrence-free, without the need for additional postoperative treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A vigorous treatment strategy that included surgery had the potential to offer long-term survival, despite an advanced pleomorphic carcinoma with distant metastasis to other organs. Reports on more similar cases are needed to evaluate the value of this treatment option.