Expression of glucocorticoid receptor and 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in a case of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma

This report describes a case of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma in which the tumour cells expressed the glucocorticoid receptor and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. The patient, a 15 year old girl, who had no other complaints or past illnesses, was found to have an abnormal shadow on a chest roentgenogram obtained at a school medical examination. Multiple nodular shadows in the bilateral lungs were also confirmed by computerised axial tomography scan. A diagnosis of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma was made on the basis of lung biopsy specimens. The tumour cells were immunohistochemically positive for factor VIII related antigen, CD31, and CD34, but not surfactant apoprotein A. In addition, almost all of the tumour cells showed simultaneous expression of the glucocorticoid receptor and 11beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, suggesting that steroid treatment would be effective.