Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a mesenchymal tumour which can involve the genitourinary organs primarily or by secondary extension. Both conditions are rare. We report four cases of retroperitoneal malignant fibrous histiocytoma involving the kidney by local extension. Diagnosis was difficult because of diverse, non-specific clinical features and may only be reached at operation or post mortem. Prognosis is poor. Although en bloc tumour resection with nephrectomy was possible in two patients, they returned with recurrences.
An asymptomatic middle-aged women was investigated for a lung nodule detected on routine chest X-ray. Percutaneous needle biopsy revealed it to be a sclerosing haemangioma which was subsequently removed by a left lower lobectomy. The literature on this uncommon benign lesion is reviewed.