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A 62-year-old, obese woman, smoking 10 pack/year was admitted to the National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute to diagnose small, round opacities revealed by routine chest X-ray examination. These lesions had been observed for 5 years. The patient had been treated for psoriasis, hypertension, and insulin-independent diabetes. On admission she was in good condition, complaining of a slight productive cough as well as intermittent osteoarticular pain. Physical examination revealed cutaneous psoriatic lesions, slight edema of the lower limbs, and clubbed fingers. Tuberculin test was positive. Chest Computer Tomography scanning showed partially calcified nodules (up to 1 cm in diameter) located in the middle and base areas of both lungs. No evidence of hilar nor mediastinal lymph node enlargement was seen. Lung specimens displayed intraalveolar and intravascular growth of neoplastic cells. Immunohistochemical expression of Factor VIII, CD31 and CD34 antigens was present. Pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma was diagnosed. After 6 months of observation, progression of the disease was shown. Interferon alpha treatment was introduced. During the therapy, a slight regression of pulmonary changes was noticed and since then stabilization of the disease was observed.

Three patients with exogenous lipoid pneumonia are presented. All of them had laryngectomy because of the cancer of larynx. In a period of time ranging from a few months up to a few years after the operation they started to have dyspnoea, cough, sometimes hemoptysis and slightly elevated temperature. The chest X-ray revealed massive opacities in the lower zones of both lungs suggesting lung cancer or metastases of the laryngeal cancer. HRCT showed ground glass lesions. Histological examination of the lungs detected accumulation of multiple macrophages with vacuolated foamy cytoplasms in the alveoli. Neoplastic disease was excluded. Additional data from the patients history revealed that all of them were inhaling or administering mineral oil-containing products through the tracheostomy. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia was diagnosed. Patients were asked to stop inhalations with the mineral oil.

Organising pneumonia (OP) is a distinct clinicopathological entity resulting from pulmonary reaction to noxious environmental or endogenous factors, but also idiopathic cases have been noted. Frequently, small foci of OP accompany lung cancer infiltrations. Also OP is sometimes a reaction to radio- or chemotherapy, but it is rarely a predominant lesion in the course of lung cancer. We present the case of 65-year-old patient who presented with fever, dry cough, exertional dyspnoea and pneumonic consolidation in the right lower lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed squamous carcinoma obstructing the right lower bronchi. He was surgically treated, and the right lower lobe was resected. Pathological examination of a specimen revealed only small infiltration of carcinoma cells in the wall of the bronchi and large confluent areas of organising pneumonia. Surgery was a sufficient treatment for both diseases. Six months later he was in good condition without any pulmonary infiltrations. To sum up, a case of endobronchial squamous cell carcinoma in stage T1N0M0 with predominant clinical and radiological signs of OP is presented.

Malakoplakia is a rare, chronic, granulomatous disease seen in immunocompromised patients, caused by multiple infectious agents, most often bacteria. Microscopically, accumulations of macrophages with granular cytoplasm and intra- or extracellular structures, called Michaelis-Gutmann bodies are characteristic. Main cause of pulmonary malakoplakia is Rhodococcus equi infection. We report two cases of pulmonary malakoplakia, in one case R. equi infection was confirmed. We also present a summary of recent knowledge about the pathogenesis, morphology and clinical course of the disease.

Introduction: Histopathological diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and differentiating it from tumors infiltrating the pleura is very difficult. Distinguishing benign reactive mesothelial cell proliferation from MM also presents problems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of selected immunohistochemical stains in differentiating MM from non-small cell lung cancers infiltrating the pleura and from benign reactive mesothelial cell proliferation., Material and Methods: The material encompassed 86 cases of MM, 54 cases of NSCLC infiltrating the pleura, and 43 cases of benign reactive mesothelial cell proliferation. The MM cases were reclassified according to the WHO criteria (2004): epithelioid, 61 cases (71%), including well-differentiated papillomatous, 3 cases; sarcomatous, 6 cases (6.8%); fibrous, 4 cases (4.7%); biphasic, 15 cases (17.5%). A panel of immunohistochemical stains was used in this study. It included broad-spectrum antibodies to cytokeratins (CKAE1/AE3, CKMNF116), vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), mesothelial cells (HBME1, CK5/6, calretinin), adenocarcinoma cells (BerEp4, B72.3, CEA, TTF1), antibodies enabling the assessment of proliferation (Mib1) and cell-cycle regulating proteins (p53)., Results: Coexpression of cytokeratins and vimentin was found in 63.9% of MM cases and cell-membrane reactions with EMA were seen in 58.9%. Positive staining for HBME1, CK5/6, calretinin, BerEp4, B72.3, CEA and p53 was obtained in 76.7%, 51.2%, 66.7%, 1.2%, 6.2%, 1.2% and 51% of the cases, respectively. None of the MM cases stained for TTF1. MM by WHO subgroups: Coexpression of cytokeratins and vimentin occurred in 55.7% cases of epithelioid MM, 93.3% of biphasic MM, 66.6% of sarcomatous MM, and in 100% of fibrous MM cases. Positive staining for HBME1, CK5/6, and calretinin was seen only in the epithelioid and mixed subtypes of MM; the respective percentages of positive reactions were: HBME1, 90.2% and 73.3%; CK5/6 58.2% and 53.3%; calretinin, 72% and 75%. Non-small cell lung cancers infiltrating the pleura: Coexpression of cytokeratin and vimentin was found in 17.6% of the cases, positive staining of membranes for EMA, in 13% cases. Positive staining for HBME1 was observed in 22.6% of the cases, for CK5/6, in 9.3%, for calretinin, in 2%, for BerEp4, in 72.2%, for B72.3, in 64.1%, for CEA, in 58.5%, and for TTF1, in 43.8%. Benign reactive mesothelial cell proliferation: Protein p53 was present in 9.3% of cases, whereas no positive staining for EMA was found. Differentiation of MM from non-small cell carcinomas: Among the antibodies used in the study, anti-HBME1 had the highest sensitivity (76.7%) but lowest specificity (77.4%). Staining for calretinin showed high specificity (99.8%), as did CEA and TTF1 (98.8% and 100%), with moderate sensitivity (66.7%, 58.5% and 43.8%, respectively). BerEp4 showed the highest sensitivity (72.2%) and specificity (98.8%)., Conclusion: In diagnosing mesothelioma it is necessary to use a panel of immunohistochemical stains, which should contain antibodies to markers for adenocarcinoma and mesothelioma. Due to the high costs of such a study, a two-stage method is advantageous. The best combination of sensitivity and specificity was found for BerEp4, CEA, and TTF1 and for calretinin and HBME1. In the diagnosis of spindle-cell pleural tumors and the fibrous form of MM and benign reactive mesothelial cell proliferation , markers of mesothelial cells are noncontributory. Immunohistochemical staining fails to identify a reactive process, but a diffuse, positive stain for EMA and the presence of protein p53 support the diagnosis of MM.

The aim of the study was to assess the role of different diagnostic procedures in the recognition of malignant pericarditis. Consecutive medical records of the patients with pericardial effusion treated with pericardiocentesis or pericardioscopy in the period of 1982-2002 were analyzed retrospectively. Criteria of neoplastic pericarditis were: positive result of pericardial fluid cytology and/or neoplastic infiltration found in pericardial biopsy specimen. Criteria of non-neoplastic pericarditis were: negative result of pericardial fluid cytology and pericardial biopsy specimen, no neoplastic disease diagnosed at presentation and during 3-years of follow up. Malignant pericarditis was diagnosed in 47 patients (pts), nonmalignant in 51. Echocardiographic signs of cardiac tamponade were found in 80% of pts with neoplastic pericarditis and 40% of pts with non-malignant disease (p = 0.0001). Chest CT scan revealed the presence of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in 94% of pts with malignant pericarditis and only 11% of pts with non-malignant disease (p = 0.00001). Pericardial thickness on CT scan exceeded 8 mm in 75% of the pts with malignant pericarditis and 8% of pts with nonmalignant disease (p = 0.0003). Pericardial fluid (pf) CEA concentration was significantly higher in the patients with neoplastic pericarditis than in the pts with non-malignant process. CEA > 5 ng/ml and Cyfra 21-1>50 ng/ml were found in 43% of the pts with malignant pericarditis and none of the pts with benign pericarditis. Thus we recommend chest CT scan and pericardial fluid tumor markers (CEA and Cyfra 21-1) assessment as the procedures helpful in the recognition of malignant pericarditis.

We report the case of a 20-year-old female with disseminated Mycobacterium avium disease involving bones, lungs and brain. She was completely healthy up until the present illness and had been vaccinated with BCG in infancy without complications. Mycobacteriosis progressed in spite of treatment with antituberculous drugs and was controlled only after addition of interferon-gamma subcutaneously. A homozygous hypomorphic I87T mutation was found in the gene encoding the ligand-binding chain of the IFN-gamma receptor (IFNgammaR1). This mutation is the only known recessive hypomorphic lesion in IFNGR1 and had been reported before in only 1 child with curable BCG infection and his sibling with primary tuberculosis. Our report illustrates the clinical heterogeneity of patients sharing exactly the same form of partial recessive IFNgammaR1 deficiency. A diagnosis of partial recessive IFNgammaR1 deficiency should be contemplated in adults with unexplained environmental mycobacterial diseases., (Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The occurence of chylothorax is uncommon and usually is caused by trauma or neoplastic process of the mediastinum. Primary lymphatic lesions of the lungs are extremly rare. One of them is lymphangiomatosis --diffuse lesions characterized primarily by an increased number of complex anastomosing lymphatic channels in which dilatation is secondary phenomenon. These lesions can involve lungs, mediastinum and pleura. The prognosis for the patients with this disease limited to the thorax is guarded and progressive although some patients have realtively indolent course. We present 2 patients : 18-years old boy and 17-years old girl. admitted to hospital because of chylothorax. The diagnostic did could not allow to discover disruption of thoracic duct, even during thoracoscopy. In material taken from the pleura and mediastinum during exploratory thoracotomy - diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis was found. CT examination of the chest revealed osteolysis of the spine. The girl died after 6 weeks from the first symptoms and boy is observed for 18 months with symptoms of progressive restrictive lung disease.

The aim of this study was to present the diagnostic problems in pts treated for invasive aspergillosis (IA) in the IIIrd Clinic of the Institute of Tuberculosis in the years 1993-2005. The material consisted of clinical documentation of 18 pts. 15 out of 18 pts (83,4%) died. In all those cases autopsy examination was done. In 13 pts IA was the main and in another 2 only the accessory cause of death. All pts were treated with corticosteroids and/or cytostatic drugs because of lung cancer (13 pts), haematologic disorders (1 pts), Wegener's granulomatosis (3 pts) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (1 pts). In 13 out of 18 pts granulocytopenia was revealed (on an average from 0,008 x 10(9)/L to 0,95 x 10(9)/L) one month before death. In 13 pts IA was limited to the lungs, in 5 others there were also fungal lesions in brain, kidneys, liver, spleen, pleura, pericardium and heart. Pts with disseminated form of IA had significantly lower granulocyte count and were treated with higher doses of corticosteroids than others. Immunosupressive drugs and granulocytopenia can be regarded as predisposing factors. IA was diagnosed before death only in 5 out of 18 pts. This was mainly caused by the lack of the symptoms of infection (4 pts) and negative results of mycological (6 pts) and serological examination (8 pts). We should underline that mycological examination was only done in 11 pts and serological examination of blood for fungal antigen only in 6 pts. We conclude that mycological infection ought to be searched in all pts treated with high doses of corticosteroids and those with prolonged granulocytopenia, especially if they have the symptoms of infection which does not respond to antibiotic therapy.

The Aims: 1) comparison of NSCLC stages according to bronchoscopic and radiological findings with pathological outcome (mediastinoscopy), 2) efficacy of the neoadjuvant ChT by means of nodal involvement and primary tumour (downstaging), 3) influence of ChT on the surgical procedures' extension and its morbidity, Material and Methods: 100 consecutive patients with resectable NSCLC in stages IIB (13 pts) or IIIA (57 pts), who were qualified to neoadjuvant ChT, participated in this study (77 men and 23 women, aged 42-73). Tumour and lymph nodes (mediastinal and hilar) were measured in CT scan. Mediastinoscopy was performed in 70 pts (70%). Majority of patients (87%) received two cycles of neoadjuvant ChT (cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) iv on day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) on day 1 and 5) administered every 21 days. After ChT 85 patients were qualified to surgery., The Results: The metastases in mediastinoscopy were excluded in 32 out of 45 patients (71%), whose lymph nodes were enlarged in CT scan (radiological false positive). Metastases were confirmed in 4 out of 25 patients (16%), whose lymph nodes were normal in CT scan (radiological false negative). After ChT the regression of the disease (PR+CR) was noted in 37% of patients. Pneumonectomy was performed in 23 (27%) pts, bilobectomy in 11 (13%) pts, lobectomy in 39 (46%) pts and "extended" (sleeve) lobectomy in 12 (14%) pts. Resected material was examined microscopically very exactly in patients, in whom mediastinoscopy was performed before treatment. Down-staging was confirmed in 6 out of 15 patients (40%)., Conclusions: Neoadjuvant ChT was effective in 37% of patients and allowed us to perform less extensive surgery in these patients. 22 (64,7%) out of 34 patients who responded to ChT underwent lobectomy. Only 17 (36%) out of 51 patients who did not respond to ChT had lobectomy performed. Generally, 85 pts were operated with postroperative complications in 22.3% patients and 2.3% mortality rate. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2006, 74, 171:178

A case of a 56-years old male with rheumatoid arthritis and unclear tumoral radiological changes in the lungs was described. Since noninvasive diagnostic procedures failed to explain nature of the pulmonary changes, an open pulmonary biopsy was performed. Pathological examination revealed presence of rheumatoid nodules and pneumoconiosis, typical for Caplan's syndrome. In the past, the patient had been working in foundry industry for 16 years and he had been exposed to silica and iron dust. Articular symptoms were revealed prior to finding the lung changes even dust exposure had occurred many years earlier. In spite of the fact that rheumatoid arthritis is a relatively common disease and pneumoconiosis is also not rare entity, the coexistence of both conditions i.e. Caplan's syndrome has been rarely diagnosed and described.

Ljmphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) is a rare form of interstitial pneumonia. It can occur as a idiopathic disease however most frequently associated with other diseases, particularly Sjogren syndrome. We present a 58 years old woman, with primary Sjögren syndrome who developed after 7 years interstitial lung disease. LIP was diagnosed on the basis of histological examinations of specimens obtained by open lung biopsy. Diffuse infiltrations composed of small polyclonal lymphocytes, plasma cells with reactive follicules were found. Infiltrates observed in bronchial and bronchiolar walls expanded into interlobular and alveolar septae. Prednisone in a dose of 40 mg per day was introduced and clinical, radiological, spirometric and gasometric improvement was observed. The dose of prednisone was gradually reduced but is still continued.

Unlabelled: Thymomas are rare mediastinal tumors that have heterogeneous microscopic morphology and uncertain outcome., Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the practical usefulness of WHO classification by correlation of histological subtype of thymoma with staging, symptoms and epidemiology., Material and Methods: 87 cases of thymomas was reclassified according to the WHO Histologic classification and Masaoka staging system. Clinical symptoms, age and sex of the patient were taken into consideration in each case., Results: The histological subtypes was diagnosed in order of frequency: AB (n = 21; 24%), B2 (n = 19; 22%), B1 (n = 14; 16%), A (n = 6; 7%), C (n = 4; 5%), B3 (n = 3; 3%). Combined types was observed in 17 (20%) cases. Tendency to invasion increased as follows: A < AB < B1 < B2 < B3 < C. The median value of patients' age was: type A--67,5 years, type AB--62 yrs., type B1--48 yrs., type B2--52 yrs., type B3--32 yrs. and type C (thymic carcinoma)--49,5 yrs. No correlation was found between histological type and sex of patient. The most often clinical symptom--myasthenia, accompanied predominantly B2 thymomas., Conclusions: The WHO classification is useful in routine pathologic examination of thymomas, because it enables to distinguish histological subtypes with different clinical representation.

Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is a rare neoplasm with a poor prognosis. The most often symptoms of this disease are dyspnoe and chest wall pain, which is often associated with pleural effusion. We present 35-years old woman with 5 epizodes of pneumothorax during 3 years (4 of right side and 1-bilateral) in whom bilateral pleurodesis was performed. Specimens of lung and pleurae were examinated. Result of microscopic and immunohistochemical examination was: mesothelioma epithelioides pleurae (mesothelium +, calretyninaa +, EMA+ membrane reaction, desmine +/-).

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare interstitial pulmonary disease caused by aspiration of the oily material. It is known to mimic many pulmonary diseases and causes many diagnostic difficulties. We present four patients with ELP. The clinical picture was very heterogenous. We described these cases to show that the use of the mineral oils may increase the risk of lipoid pnemonia.

The aim of the study was to assess the role of serum tumour markers (NSE, Cyfra 21-1, CEA, LDH, ferritin) as a prognostic and predictive factors in 79 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with chemotherapy. Objective response to treatment was significantly more frequent in the patient with serum NSE > 12.5 ng/ml. Progression of disease was observed more often in patients with serum Cyfra 21-1 >10 ng/ml or LDH >480 U/L. CEA >3 ng/ml, LDH >480 U/L, for coefficient >1, NSE >20 ng/ml and Cyfra 21-1 >10 ng/ml had a negative impact on survival in univariate analysis. Independent negative prognostic significance of fer coefficient >1 was confirmed by multivariate analysis.

Unlabelled: Diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is made on the basis of a combination of clinical features connected with the exposition to organic dusts, radiographic abnormalities, lung function tests and immunological tests. Open lung biopsy (OLB) and histological examination is not necessary and is indicated mainly in chronic and subacute form of HP. In the chronic form of HP symptoms often do not show a temporal relationship with antigen exposure and errors occur especially if specific questions are not asked about exposure to antigen if HP. The aim of this paper was to analyse whether OLB was necessary in all patients in whom HP was recognised just after this procedure. Material included 21 patients in whom microscopic examination suggested HP among 258 pts in whom OLB was performed in the period of 1998-2003. There were 13 men and 8 women at the age of 18 to 65 years, mediana 42 years., Results: We found 3 groups of pts. Group "+" included 9 exposed pts. They were asked and confirmed contact with birds, hay and 7 of them observed correlation between exposition and symptoms. The second Group "-" included 7 pts who were asked about exposition and who answered in the negative. In all of them HRCT scans suggested HP. Restriction was below 70% of VC in 3 pts. The third Group "0" included 5 pts who were not asked about exposition and correlation with symptoms. Two from them lived in the rural area., Conclusions: Open lung biopsy was not necessary for 6 patients in Group "+", because then had enough symptoms to recognise HP. In 3 patients of Group "+" and in 5 of Group "0" OLB could be not necessary because specific anamnesis and additional examinations were not collected. OLB was necessary method for 7 patients in Group "-".

Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a rarely diagnosed disease, however the incidence ratio was estimated as 6-7/100000. Disease can occur in cryptogenic form or as a secondary reaction to various noxious agents, drugs, and ionising radiation, as a concomitant disease to infections, lympho- and myeloproliferative disorders, and connective tissue diseases. Symptoms of OP are non-specific therefore lung biopsy and histological examination are necessary for diagnosis. Eighteen cases of OP, 15 women and 3 men, aged 40 to 76 years, are presented with analysis of clinicopathological characteristic and therapeutic problems. In all cases diagnosis was confirmed by open lung biopsy. In one case radiotherapy and in one trastuzumab treatment was the cause of OP. In further 3 women antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae and in one--against Mycoplasma pneumoniae were found in serum. Probably Hashimoto disease was the cause of one case. In 12 patients the OP was idiopathic. Majority of patients were treated by prednisone (0.5 mg/kg). In one patient regression without any treatment was noticed and in other one--after cessation of trastuzumab. Five women were treated by clarithromycin. In 3 of them regression was observed but in other 2 corticotherapy was necessary. The observation period ranged from 1 month to 9 years, mean 34 months.

A 75-year-old asymptomatic woman with stable coronary heart disease presented tumor in lower left lobe on routine chest radiograph. A CT scan showed a large sharply delineated mass at this site (84 x 52 x 90 mm). There were no signs of infiltration, no abnormalities were seen in mediastinal structures and on the right side. The pedunculated tumor was resected during left thoracotomy (posterolateral incision). Histological examination revealed spindle-like cells and rich collagen net. Mitoses and necrosis were absent. Final diagnosis was: solitary fibrous tumor of the visceral pleura. During 7-year follow-up recurrence was not observed.

Organising pneumonia (OP) is a rare syndrome that has been associated with a variety of underlying disorders, including infections, collagen vascular diseases, toxic fumes, cancer, drugs and radiotherapy. Cryptogenic form is also observed. Steroids are usually effective in the treatment of OP, but other treatment regimens have been used as well. We present 5 women with OP, age ranged 57-76 years (mean - 67 years). Two of them were smokers and three were non-smokers. One patient was treated because of hyperthyreosis, one of COPD, and four had a hypertension. Four of them were diagnosed by the open lung biopsy and one by transbronchial lung biopsy. Dyspnoea (100%), cough (100%), fever (80%), weight loss (40%), chest pain (20%), were the most frequently noticed symptoms. All patients had bilateral consolidations with areas of ground glass attenuations at chest x-ray and HRCT. Migratory pattern of them was observed in four patients. Significant elevation of antibodies titers against Chlamydia pneumoniae was revealed in two patients. In all patients clarithromycin in a dose 0.5 g b.d. was administrated. Complete clinical and radiological remission was obtained after 3 months of clarithromycin therapy in 3 patients (one had Chlamydia antibodies). Two patients had not obtained significant improvement during the first two weeks of therapy so prednisolone in a dose 0.5 mg/kg/d was introduced. Also complete remission was noticed in these patients. The observation period ranged from 8 months to 4 years (mean - 34 months). Our study confirms that OP can be treated by the use of clarithromycin. It may be the alternative treatment, particularly for patients in whom probability of adverse reactions in the course of steroid treatment is high.

The granular cell tumor (GCT) is a nodule that arises most commonly in the skin, the breast or the tongue. The vast majority are benign. Approximately 6-10% of granular cell tumors have been reported in the lower respiratory tract. The clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical findings of eleven cases are described in our material consisted of 6 males and 5 females aged from 35 to 58 years (median, 46 years). The GCT were solitary lesions in all our patients. The tumors were located in trachea (6 cases) and in bronchus (5 cases). They were found during bronchoscopy performed because of symptoms of pneumonia, lung cancer and hemoptysis or dyspnea alone. Diameter of the tumors ranged from 0.2-2.5 cm (median 1.2 cm). Six tumors were surgically excised and 5 were endoscopically removed. Pulmonary GCT behave in a benign fashion. It was observed that tumors of less than 8 mm were more amenable to endoscopic removal and larger tumors were more likely to infiltrate through the bronchial wall. Histologically, the GCT showed submucosal infiltrates of round or oval cells with abundant granular cytoplasm. The tumors cells were positive for S-100 protein, neuron specific enolase, CD68 and vimentin. Our immunohistochemical results are consistent with this concept.

Allergic angiitis and granulomatosis (Churg-Strauss syndrome) is one of the rare form of idiopathic (primary) vasculitis. It is characterized by asthma, blood hypereosinophilia and typical microscopic features: nectrotizing vasculitis, tissue infiltration by eosinophils and extravasal granulomas. We present an autopsy case of 55-years old man with Churg-Strauss syndrome complicated by eosinophilic myocarditis.

Majority of purulent lung diseases are treated with antibiotics. But sometimes this therapy is not successful and surgical treatment is necessary. Two patients are described in this paper. 68 years old woman in whom infiltration in left lung enlarged during antibiotics therapy. CT examination did not allow to differentiate between abscessus and tumor. Results of bacteriologic and cytologic examination of transthoracic biopsy were negative. During thoracothomy abscessus was resected and diagnosis was confirmed by patomorphologic examination. The second case: 16-years old girl was addmitted to hospital because of high temperature and abnormal chest X-ray picture (infiltration and liquid level in lower right lobe). During puncture the pus was evacuated but bacteria were not cultured. Antibiotics were not effective. Thoracothomy was done and large cysta bronchogenes was resected. In both cases surgical treatment was effective.

A 30 year-old woman with Wegener's granulomatosis with typical lesions of nose, mouth, skin, lung and positive c-ANCA titre was admitted to our hospital because of ineffective treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. Infiltration of the left side of chest wall and collateral circulation were seen during physical examination. Ultrasound examination revealed thrombus in the left internal jugular vein and in the left subclavicular vein. Angio CT revealed parenchymal infiltration in the lower right lobe, thrombi in segmental arteries in this area and enlarged mediastinum. MRI examination revealed thickened aorta wall to 25 mm with its contrast enhancement. It suggested inflammatory infiltration of aorta arcus and its branches. This picture was similar to early stages of Takayasu arteritis but our patient had no typical clinical symptoms related to narrowing or obliteration of large arteries. We recognised Wegener's granulomatosis with overlapped Takayasu arteritis with thrombosis of jugular vein and pulmonary thrombosis. In differential diagnosis: Wegener's granulomatosis with large arteries involvement is taken into account. Treatment with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone was effective.

The role of sex hormones in the pathogenesis of lung cancer is still unknown. There are conflicting results regarding immunohistochemical detection of the estrogen and progesterone receptors expression in non small cell lung cancer. To clarify these discrepancies 32 samples of lung carcinoma tissues obtained by lobectomy or pneumonectomy were studied. Two monoclonal antibodies (6F11 and ID5) for estrogen receptor detection and one (1A6) for progesterone receptor detection were used. Eighteen adenocarcinoma and 14 squamous cell carcinoma cases were investigated. There were 11 women and 7 men with adenocarcinoma and 4 women and 10 men with squamous cell carcinoma. Weak (+1) nuclear estrogen hormone receptor expression was detected in only one specimen of a woman with adenocarcinoma and in one specimen of a man with squamous cancer. None of the 32 blocks of paraffin embedded specimens expressed progesterone receptor. The positive estrogen and progesterone receptors expression in cancer tissue is an important argument against the pulmonary origin of the unknown primary tumor.

This first polish paper presents respiratory actinomycosis as a complication caused by aspiration of a foreign body. Aspiration of a citrus fruit stone occurred as a result of esophagus stenosis and dysphagia caused by a mistake made by a blind person of drinking a caustic substance. Clinical and bronchoscopic features suggested bronchogenic carcinoma but it's not confirmed by two histopathologic examinations of section from pathological bronchial changes. Diagnosis was based on the morphological picture of sections taken during third fibreoptic bronchoscopy and on cytological sputum examination. Removing the aspired foreign body from bronchus and prolonged penicillin treatment resulted in clinical and radiological amelioration.

Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a well histopathologically defined disease, which can be induced by many factors--infections, drugs, connective tissue diseases etc. In many cases a rapidly progressive course is observed with clinical picture of pneumonia. We report a case of organizing pneumonia with an acute onset and rapid deterioration in 58-year-old women. After unsuccessful treatment with antibiotics, prompt biopsy of the lung (videothoracoscopy) helped to establish the diagnosis. A rapid improvement after corticoid therapy was observed. Low dose corticoid treatment is continued. Patients remains well 20 months after onset of symptoms.

Unlabelled: Eighteen patients (12 female) with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) treated from 1982-2001 were studied. Mean duration of patients' symptoms prior to diagnosis was 13.5 months, and mean age 41.2. Lung biopsy confirmed WG in 5 patients, nasal biopsy was made in 12, endobronchial in 3. In 11 of 14 patients cANCAs were found. Prednisone and 2 mg/kg/day doses of oral cyclophosphamide were used to treat 17 patients, prednisone was used alone for 1. Patients with severe symptoms were given i.v. 'pulse' methylprednisolone. Mean duration of treatment was 34.8 months and of follow-up, 71.9 months. A total of 4 patients died: 3 from complete renal failure. Four patients still undergo treatment, improving markedly. Complete remission was achieved in 6 patients. A total of 3 patients relapsed and are recently treated. In another one chronic renal failure developed. Three of them had moderate symptoms at diagnosis but were treated inadequately., In Conclusion: manifestation of WG and severity of symptoms may be different among patients. ANCA is not universally present in all patients with WG. The absence of ANCA does not exclude WG diagnosis. Complete remission can be achieved in WG patients, including the severely ill, if adequate therapy is given. Moderate symptoms at presentation do not justify less intensive treatment.

Pulmonary hyalinizing granulomata are unusual, noninfectious lesions of the lung of uncertain etiology. The pathologic entity may represent a peculiar form of pulmonary immune reaction. We report the history of a 23-year-old woman who had nodular lesions in the right lung without any other abnormalities. Non-invasive procedures didn't yield diagnosis. Thoracotomy was performed. During intraoperative microscopic examination of one of 4 nodules, neoplastic disease was excluded. Remaining 3 nodules were also resected. The pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma was recognised in the histological examination. Follow-up after 12 months didn't reveal recurrence.