Coincidence of seminoma and sarcoidosis: a myth or fact?

Sarcoidosis of the spermatic cord - case report and literature review

Background

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease characterized by the formation of non-caseating granulomas in various organs. The lungs remain the most frequently affected organ, whereas lesions in the genitourinary system affect around 0.2% of patients. The primary site found in the spermatic cord is extremely rare.

Case presentation

We present a patient’s case where the spermatic cord involvement was the first manifestation of sarcoidosis. For several months, a number of tests had been performed, which showed, among others, non-caseating granulomas in pathomorphological material, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, and leukopenia with lymphopenia. Tumor markers were normal. Infection with urogenital pathogens (including Chlamydia Trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhea, Mycoplasma hominis) was excluded. The patient did not report any general symptoms such as fever, excessive fatigue, weight loss. He denied swelling, shortness of breath. At the same time, a complete differential diagnosis was carried out, and the extent of the disease was assessed. Due to interdisciplinary management, the patient’s quality of life and fertility is preserved. In the discussion, we present the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of such patients.

Conclusion

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease, which should not be omitted in the differential diagnosis. Selective excision of the lesion with intraoperative examination plays a significant role while establishing a diagnosis. However, in the primary site in the genitourinary system, the diagnosis is challenging.

A Case of Synchronous Occurrence of Intracranial Germinoma and Systemic Sarcoidosis

Although the synchronous occurrence of testicular seminoma and systemic sarcoidosis has been reported, that of intracranial germinoma and systemic sarcoidosis is unknown. A 26-year-old man presented with symptoms of panhypopituitarism and consciousness disturbance. Imaging demonstrated a large nodule in the upper right lung field and swelling of multiple bilateral pulmonary and mediastinal lymph nodes in addition to the bifocal pineal and suprasellar tumors with obstructive hydrocephalus. The pathological diagnosis of the intracranial bifocal tumors was pure germinoma, whereas that of the mediastinal lymph nodes was epithelioid granuloma. Three courses of chemotherapy using carboplatin and etoposide were administered, followed by whole ventricle irradiation. The intracranial tumors completely disappeared, but the lung nodule and mediastinal lymph nodes progressed. Whole-body fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography demonstrated accumulation in the mediastinal lymphadenopathy, lung masses, and multiple lymph nodes of the whole body. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed epithelioid granuloma with multinucleated giant cells. In conjunction with the high blood concentration of angiotensin-converting enzyme and soluble interleukin-2 receptor, these findings established a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. This is the first report of synchronous occurrence of intracranial germinoma and sarcoidosis. Such coexistence is extremely rare, but we should mind that sarcoidosis can occur with intracranial germinoma.

Atypical sarcoid reaction mimicking recurrence on F-18 FDG PET/CT in a patient with breast malignancy

Malignancy may lead to sarcoidosis, which is referred to as sarcoid reaction. This reaction is believed to be a host immune response to the release of soluble antigens from cancer cells. Studies have shown strong 2'-deoxy-2'-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (F-18 FDG) uptake in sarcoid reaction and in true sarcoidosis. Therefore, in patients with malignancy, sarcoid reactions can mimic metastasis or recurrence on F-18 FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Herein, we report the case of a 58-year-old woman with a history of left breast cancer whose FDG PET/CT evaluated at 3 months after adjuvant chemotherapy presented hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy in the right supraclavicular and right mediastinal areas. We interpreted these as metastases because the involved lymph nodes were intensely hypermetabolic and appeared newly. Pathologic evaluation of the excised lymph node revealed noncaseating chronic granulomas without malignant cells, indicating a sarcoid reaction. After appropriate steroid therapy, both the size and metabolic activity of the lymphadenopathy substantially decreased. Most sarcoid reactions present as bilateral hilar and peribronchial lymphadenopathies. Our patient presents an atypical example that a sarcoid reaction can also present in a unilateral pattern, making its diagnosis challenging. When interpreting FDG PET/CT images, considering that the sarcoid reaction pattern can vary is crucial.

Narrative review of developing new biomarkers for decision making in advanced testis cancer

Management of testicular germ cell tumor (GCT) patients is based on clinical determinants, mainly CT scan and serum tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein, beta subunit of HCG and LDH). Treatment decisions are usually straightforward for patients with clear evidence of metastatic disease, confirmed either by imaging tests or by unequivocal elevated tumor markers. However, there are several clinical scenarios where the assessment of metastatic disease is complicated by the limited specificity of the current imaging tests and serum tumor markers. These include patients with clinical stage IIA GCT with negative tumor markers and patients with post-chemotherapy residual disease where, in absence of clear indicators of GCT, decision making and patient treatment allocation become challenging. Therefore, more accurate biomarkers are critical to reduce the risk of under-or over-treatment and to always deliver the most optimal therapy. The objectives of this narrative review are to review the available publications about micro-RNAs in GCT s and their potential clinical applications. Two clusters of micro-RNAs, miR-371a-3p and miR-302/367, specifically expressed by both seminoma and non-seminoma GCT and easily detectable in the peripheral blood, have demonstrated to be promising in this endeavor. Large prospective trials are ongoing to define the operating characteristics of these biomarkers and their clinical utility to improve GCT patient management and reduce the error rate deriving from clinical uncertainty, therefore reducing the risk of sub-optimal treatments.

Tissue Pathogens and Cancers: A Review of Commonly Seen Manifestations in Histo- and Cytopathology

Tissue pathogens are commonly encountered in histopathology and cytology practice, where they can present as either benign mimickers of malignancy or true malignancies. The aim of this review is to provide a timely synthesis of our understanding of these tissue pathogens, with an emphasis on pertinent diagnostic conundrums associated with the benign mimickers of malignancy that can be seen with viral infections and those which manifest as granulomas. The oncogenic pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, are then discussed with relationship to their associated malignancies. Although not exhaustive, the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and histological findings are included, along with a short review of emerging therapies.

Testicular Sarcoidosis: Diagnostic Approach and Management Strategies

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder which, in rare cases, can affect the urogenital tract. The clinical presentation of this benign inflammatory disorder can easily mimic that of testicular malignancy. Therefore, it is crucial to differentiate between these two entities, as misdiagnosis may lead to unnecessary surgical interventions, which have important implications for future fertility. While testicular cancer must always be ruled out, sarcoidosis should be considered in all patients presenting with a testicular mass. Here, we present a case of sarcoidosis with bilateral epididymal and testicular involvement. The diagnosis was made by frozen section and the patient was treated with corticosteroids.

Testicular seminoma with a progressing pulmonary nodule and mediastinal lymphadenopathy without retroperitoneal metastasis

INTRODUCTION

Testicular germ cell cancer has a relatively good prognosis even if visceral and/or lymph node metastases are present thanks to chemotherapy. Yet chemotherapy can lead to various adverse events. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish whether a suspected metastatic disease is metastasis or not.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 33-year-old male visited our hospital to receive subsequent therapy for suspected recurrent seminoma with a progressing pulmonary nodule and mediastinal lymphadenopathy after orchiectomy. The pathological diagnosis of needle aspiration and resected specimen of the several lesions was consistent with epithelioid cell granuloma without caseous necrosis. Based on these findings, the lung and mediastinal lymph node lesions were diagnosed as sarcoidosis.

CONCLUSION

In cases where the simultaneous occurrence of other benign or malignant diseases is suspected, pathological confirmation is necessary for appropriate decision-making.

Granulomatous reaction of primary mediastinal seminoma leading to diagnostic delay: a case report

Primary mediastinal seminoma (PMS) is a rare tumor. PMS can be morphologically related to secondary changes in the form of thymic remnants, cystic degeneration, epithelioid granulomas, fibrotic change, and syncytiotrophoblast-like cells. Ours was an interesting case where a 26-year-old male presented with an incidentally-found anterior mediastinal mass. Even though he had no pulmonary symptoms, the transthoracic co-axial needle biopsy of the mass suggested tuberculosis (TB). However, on follow-up computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance image (MRI) in 2 months, the mass slightly increased in size, and a small part of low density or signal intensity appeared, despite the regular anti-TB treatment regimen. Surgical resection was performed, and the resected specimens revealed scattered and irregular-shaped seminoma cells with an intervening chronic granulomatous reaction. The aim of this article is to report a case of PMS in a young male patient who had a granulomatous reaction that mimicked a neoplastic population of cells leading to an erroneous diagnosis of the small biopsy. Therefore, awareness of the secondary changes that can mimic a primary lesion can help with an early correction of this misdiagnosis.

Coexistence of sarcoidosis and metastatic lesions: A diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma

Sarcoidosis, a chronic, inflammatory disease that affects various different organs, is characterized by noncaseating epitheloid granulomas. This systemic inflammatory process is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Several cases of sarcoidosis that mimic metastatic tumor progression in radiological findings have been reported so far. However, there are also cases that have presented a coexistence of sarcoidosis and metastasis, which have caused a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Due to inadequate current therapies, a reliable differentiation between benign and malignant lesions is crucial. This review focuses on the residual risk of the coexistence of metastases within radiological suspicious lesions in patients with a history of solid tumors and sarcoidosis, as well as immunological findings, in order to explain the potential associations. Sarcoidosis has the potential to promote metastasis as it includes tumor-promoting and immune-regulating cell subsets. Notably, myeloid derived suppressor cells may serve a pivotal role in metastatic progression in patients with sarcoidosis. In addition, the present review also evaluates the potential novel diagnostic approaches, which may be able to differentiate between metastatic lesions and sarcoidosis. The risk of coexistent metastasis in sarcoidosis lesions must be considered by clinical practitioners, and a multidisciplinary approach may be required to avoid misdiagnosis and the subsequent unnecessary surgery or insufficient treatments.

Intrascrotal and osseous sarcoidosis mimicking intrascrotal organ cancer and bony metastasis

We report a case of sarcoidosis with concomitant epididymis, testes, and phalanxes involvement mimicking intrascrotal organ cancer and metastatic bony disease. A 23-year-old man developed blurred vision and hyperemia of the left eye, and was diagnosed as having left iritis. A chest computed tomography scan detected bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and lung nodular shadows. A transbronchial lung biopsy revealed a non-caseating granuloma and he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. One year after the onset of his eye symptoms, he noticed enlargement of his right scrotum. Magnetic resonance imaging detected lesions of the right epididymis, bilateral testes, and bilateral phalanxes. A technetium-99m scintigram revealed a high accumulation in the bilateral bones of extremities. These radiological findings mimicked intrascrotal organ cancer and metastatic bony disease. Pathologic evaluation following the right epididymectomy revealed non-caseating granulomas compatible with sarcoidosis. Three and half years after the appearance of intrascrotal and bony lesions, they improved spontaneously. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2017; 34: 373-376).

Sarcoidosis and cancer risk: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

An increased cancer risk in patients with sarcoidosis has been suggested, although results are conflicting in a number of case-control and cohort studies. We conducted a systematic review of all available data and performed a meta-analysis to better define and quantify the association between sarcoidosis and cancer.

METHODS

We searched Medline and Embase for all original articles on cancer and sarcoidosis published up to January 2013. Two independent authors reviewed all titles/abstracts to identify studies according to predefined selection criteria. We derived summary estimates using a random-effects model and reported them as relative risk (RR). Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and was quantified by the Egger test.

RESULTS

Sixteen original studies, involving > 25,000 patients, were included in the present review. The summary RR to develop all invasive cancers was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.07-1.32). The results for selected cancer sites indicated a significantly increased risk of skin (RR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.69-2.36), hematopoietic (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.41-2.62), upper digestive tract (RR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.07-2.79), kidney (RR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.21-1.99), liver (RR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.03-3.11), and colorectal cancers (RR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.07-1.67). There was no evidence of publication bias for all cancers (P = .9), nor for any specific cancer site.

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis suggests a significant, though moderate, association between sarcoidosis and malignancy.

Mediastinal Seminoma with an Elevated Level of Serum Angiotensin-converting Enzyme

A 22-year-old man was admitted following the detection of right hilar enlargement during a medical checkup. The patient's serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) level was abnormally high, and a needle aspiration biopsy showed non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas. Surgical resection was performed, and the resected specimens showed irregularly shaped seminoma nests with intervening stroma consisting of epithelioid cell granulomas. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry demonstrated ACE expression in the epithelioid cells and some tumor cells. The patient's serum ACE level declined after the surgery and subsequent systemic chemotherapy, indicating the presence of tumor-induced sarcoid-like reactions rather than the coexistence of seminoma and sarcoidosis.

FDG-PET/CT of sarcoidosis and sarcoid reactions following antineoplastic treatment

Sarcoidosis or sarcoid reactions, which appear as FDG-avid lesions in oncologic patients, need to be differentiated from disseminated malignancies. We aimed to promote awareness of development of sarcoidosis or sarcoid reactions after antineoplastic therapy to avoid diagnostic errors with FDG-PET/CT findings and assess the utility of FDG-PET/CT for follow-up. We retrospectively reviewed radiological reports of FDG-PET/CT scans performed between January 2009 and December 2011. Among oncologic patients with more than 2 FDG-PET/CT scans, those with nearly symmetrical increases in FDG uptake in the hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes were identified, and those with known sarcoidosis, concurrent diagnoses of sarcoidosis with malignancy, or histopathologically proven malignancies were excluded. Then, only those cases were selected for which sarcoidosis or sarcoid reactions were diagnosed. Four of 376 oncologic cases met the criteria. At 9 months to 6 years after antineoplastic therapy, abnormal FDG uptakes were observed in the hilar, mediastinal, abdominal, pelvic, and inguinal nodes, and/or spleen and lung parenchyma with SUVmax up to 17.7. On the basis of these findings, 1 patient received anticancer chemotherapy because of tumor recurrence suspicion. A gradual decrease in FDG uptake was observed on subsequent PET/CT scans. Sarcoidosis or sarcoid reactions should be considered in differential diagnosis of oncologic patients who have developed FDG-avid lesions any time after antineoplastic therapy. FDG-PET/CT can be used for follow-up in nondiagnostic situations to detect decreases in FDG uptake due to presence of sarcoidal granulomas.

Development and evaluation of a broad reacting SYBR-green based quantitative real-time PCR for the detection of different hantaviruses

BACKGROUND

Hantaviruses are endemic in most parts of the world and cause hundreds of thousand human cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) annually throughout Eurasia and the Americas. They are zoonotic viruses, most commonly transmitted to humans by aerosolized rodent excreta. New hantaviruses are frequently discovered in previously unknown reservoir species and geographic areas. Consequently, there is a need to improve hantavirus diagnostics.

OBJECTIVES

This paper describes the design and evaluation of a rapid and robust quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) assay able to detect a wide range of hantaviruses.

STUDY DESIGN

Primers with the potential to detect different hantaviruses were designed from conserved regions of different hantavirus L segments, as identified from multiple sequence alignments.

RESULTS

By using SYBR-green-based QRT-PCR 100-1000 target molecules of in vitro produced RNA and less than 100 copies of hantavirus RNA from different hantavirus clades and regions of the world were detected. When using the assay on clinical samples from patients with acute HFRS, Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) RNA was confirmed in all previously positive samples. Notably, the broad reacting L-segment QRT-PCR also detected viral RNA in HFRS patient samples, previously negative by a QRT-PCR targeting the S segment of PUUV.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel assay provides a powerful tool for diagnosis of hantaviruses from different clades and regions and may also be useful in surveys with the purpose of finding new hantaviruses in rodent or insectivore species.

Sarcoidosis of the ureter

We report a rare case of sarcoidosis of the ureter in a 65-year-old Japanese man. Left nephroureterectomy and regional lymph node dissection were performed under the clinical diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the left ureter with lymph node metastasis. Microscopically, noncaseous epithelioid granuloma with large Langerhans cells was noted in the ureter and dissected lymph nodes. Pulmonary lesions were not found on computed tomography. The final diagnosis was sarcoidosis of the ureter. Although sarcoidosis is rare in the genitourinary tract, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of urologic conditions.

Severe bronchoconstriction due to sarcoid-like reaction to lung cancer

Chest radiography in a 59-year-old woman with recurrent pneumonia showed infiltrates in her left upper lung field. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography revealed severe constriction in the upper bronchus and a nodule in the left upper lobe. After lobectomy, adenocarcinoma was confirmed, with multiple non-caseating granulomas in the lung parenchyma and lymph nodes. Bronchial constriction was thought to be due to a sarcoid-like reaction secondary to lung cancer, leading to granuloma formation.

A case of epididymal sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory condition that primarily affects the lungs, lymphatic system and skin. Extra thoracic manifestations occur in about 50% of cases; however, it rarely affects the male reproductive tract. The first documented case of epididymal and testicular sarcoid in the Irish literature is of a 25-year-old male who presented with a painful 1-cm extra-testicular scrotal mass. While the involvement of the male reproductive tract is rare, it should be included in the differential of testicular pathology. It can be diagnosed on frozen section and may be managed conservatively.

Testicular Sarcoidosis: Sonographic Findings

Testicular sarcoidosis is a rare but benign entity. It is often mistaken for testicular neoplasm, leading to orchiectomy. It is, therefore, extremely important to identify and correctly diagnose testicular sarcoidosis on sonography to avoid unnecessary orchiectomy. This case study reports a young patient who had a prior history of unilateral orchiectomy for cryporchidism and presented with testicular lesions on the contralateral testis. He was later found to have skin lesions and chest symptoms that led to a diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

Paradoxical development of a sarcoid-like reaction during successful chemotherapy for seminoma

Although the association between seminoma and sarcoidosis or a sarcoid-like reaction has been well recognized, a paradoxical case during chemotherapy for seminoma has not been reported. We report the first case of a sarcoid-like reaction that developed paradoxically during successful chemotherapy for recurrent seminoma. A 36-year-old Japanese man had recurrent seminoma in abdominal lymph nodes four years after left orchiectomy. Chemotherapy consisting of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin had reduced the abdominal mass, but mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy newly appeared. Surgical biopsy of the mediastinal lymph nodes and left nephrectomy and retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy revealed noncaseating granulomas only in mediastinal lymph nodes and confirmed complete remission of seminoma. Nine months later the thoracic lymphadenopathy had resolved spontaneously.

[Intrathoracic lesions in association with germ cell tumor of the testis]

Intrathoracic enlarged lymph nodes in patients with malignant diseases always arouse suspicion of lymphatic metastases. Despite modern diagnostic investigation, surprising findings sometimes emerge. The present case of a young man with intrathoracic lesions in association with a germ-cell tumor of the testis turned out to have sarcoidosis mimicking testicular cancer relapse.

Sarcoidosis and malignancy

Malignancy in patients with sarcoidosis occurs in 3 settings. The first setting relates to patients with hematologic malignancies. It includes the sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome, which refers to the development of lymphoma at least 1 to 2 years after the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. It also includes patients with sarcoidosis who develop other hematologic malignancies. In addition, this subset of individuals includes patients with cancer and hematologic malignancies who subsequently develop sarcoidosis. The second setting consists of patients with sarcoidosis who develop solid tumors and oncologic patients in whom sarcoidosis subsequently appears; in addition to melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer, the neoplasms most commonly associated involve the cervix, liver, lung, testicles, and uterus. The third setting of malignancy-related sarcoidosis occurs when sarcoidosis presents as a paraneoplastic syndrome for the associated cancer, specifically when the discovery of cancer is concurrent with or within 1 year of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis or vis-a-vis. Antineoplastic treatment of either the hematologic malignancy or the solid tumor has also been observed to either induce the initial onset or flare the activity of sarcoidosis. Malignancy can also be associated with the occurrence of sarcoid reactions that typically are restricted to the regional lymph nodes or the visceral organ of tumor origin; rarely, the sarcoid reaction can also be observed in the skin or is only limited to the skin.

Testikulärer Keimzelltumor und Sarkoidose

Several case reports and small case series have described a total of 66 patients with sarcoidosis and testicular cancer so far. This report describes three additional cases. We highlight the association of sarcoidosis and testicular cancer and comment on the potential impact of this connection on the interpretation of the radiological and pathological findings in suspected cancer relapse. Sarcoidosis, a condition that can be combined with testicular cancer, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration in patients with mediastinal abnormalities and previous extrathoracic malignancy

Enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with previous extrathoracic malignancy require pathological verification. However, surgical procedures lead to morbidity and (rarely) mortality. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure. We prospectively assessed its usefulness in patients with mediastinal abnormalities and previous extrathoracic malignancy. All patients underwent EUS-FNA prior to planned surgical procedures. Specimens were categorised as positive, negative, or inconclusive. Surgical procedures were cancelled after positive EUS-FNA. Twenty patients underwent EUS-FNA, being positive in eleven and providing an alternative diagnosis in one patient (a total of 60%). In 8 patients, EUS-FNA was negative or inconclusive, while surgery was positive in five and negative in three. Sensitivity and specificity of EUS-FNA were 69 and 100%, respectively. EUS-FNA is useful in the assessment of mediastinal abnormalities in patients with previous extrathoracic malignancy. Surgical diagnostic procedures were precluded in 60% of such patients.

PET and PLAP in suspected testicular cancer relapse: beware sarcoidosis

A 31-year-old man previously treated with chemotherapy for metastatic testicular cancer presented with new mediastinal lymphadenopathy and peripheral lung opacities. Serum tumour markers were not elevated and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan revealed increased FDG (fluoro-deoxyglucose) uptake in the lungs and mediastinum consistent with testis cancer relapse. A biopsy of a mediastinal lymph node was performed and the pathology was that of sarcoidosis. Immunohistochemistry however was positive for PLAP (placental alkaline phosphatase) and negative for EMA (epithelial membrane antigen). This immunohistochemical profile raised concerns that the observed pathology represented a sarcoid reaction to micro-metastatic testicular cancer relapse. We performed immunohistochemical pathology analysis on four known cases of sarcoidosis and found the same immunohistochemical-staining pattern. This case highlights the problem of specificity when interpreting the significance of PET scans and immunohistochemical analysis in this situation. Sarcoidosis, a condition that has been associated with testicular cancer, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis.

A case of resectable lung adenocarcinoma associated with sarcoidosis

A 71-year-old woman with uveitis was referred to our hospital for further examination of the possible underlying diseases. In roentgenological examination with plain X-ray and CT scan, hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy and a mass shadow in the right upper lung field was observed, whereas fibrotic changes were not obvious in both lung fields. Transbronchial lung biopsy with fiberoptic bronchoscope revealed granulomatous interstitial pneumonia. CD4-positive lymphocytes were increased in bronchoalveolar lavage. The patient was diagnosed as having sarcoidosis. Subsequently, right upper lobectomy was performed, and Stage I lung adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. The patient is under follow up without medication and the disease has been stable for two years. A relationship between epithelioid granulomatosis and malignant diseases is discussed and a review of the literature is given. Since it is still controversial as to the incidence of malignant diseases in sarcoidosis patients, it is important to accumulate data on these associations.