Pleural small cell carcinoma in pre-existent asbestos related pleural disease.

Abstract

Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (SCC) is a very rare disease, and a primary pleural manifestation is extremely rare. A case of SCC of the pleura in a 66-year-old man with pre-existent asbestos-related pleural plaques is presented. This is the first case of pleural SCC in a patient with asbestos-induced pleural disease and the third reported case of a pleural SCC. The SCC developed in an area with pre-existent pleural thickening, underlining the need for careful analysis of alterations in the manifestation of pleural disease in patients with asbestos exposition.