Primary heterologous carcinosarcoma of the ureter with necrotic malignant polyps. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Carcinosarcoma is a rare and aggressive disease characterized by biphasic neoplasms with distinct mesenchymal and epithelial components. We report a case of ureteral carcinosarcoma with malignant necrotic polyps. The patient was a 58-year-old woman with painless hematuria, who was later diagnosed as having ureteral carcinosarcoma. Three long pendulous polypoid-shape tumors consisting of high-grade transitional cell carcinoma with chondrosarcomatous and osteosarcomatous elements were found. Two months after nephroureterectomy, the tumor relapsed in the bladder. Despite anterior exenteration, the patient died of local recurrence 6 months after her initial visit. To our knowledge, only 10 cases of this disease have been reported in the literature. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel