Mutually exclusive driver mutations identifies 2 separate primaries in a collision tumor initially interpreted as a solitary lung adenocarcinoma with tumor heterogeneity

Respir Med Case Rep. 2024 Jan 19:47:101986. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2024.101986. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Distinction of histologically heterogenous, single primary tumor from two or more collision tumors with different primaries could represent a challenge to practicing pathologists. Histologic variations including differences in degree of differentiating within a tumor, are typically interpreted as tumor heterogeneity in a contiguous small size tumor biopsy. The authors report a case of adult former smoker female who presented with lung mass and a metastatic lytic lesion of acetabulum. A needle biopsy of a lung mass revealed an adenocarcinoma with well and moderately differentiated components. Next generation sequencing studies proved 2 different primaries in this small needle biopsy.

Keywords: Collision/synchronous tumors; EGFR mutation; KRAS mutation; Lung adenocarcinoma; Molecular profiles; Non–small cell lung cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports