Pulmonary Neoplasms Flashcards
What are the 2 most common precursor lesions for lung cancer?
Squamous Dysplasia
Carcinoma in situ
Biggest risk factor for lung carcinoma
Smoking
Where do most squamous cell carcinomas form?
Hilar or perihilar masses
Histological characteristic of squamous cells that helps identify squamous cell neoplasms.
Intercellular bridging
What are keratin pearls?
Round inclusions do keratin found in the tumor tissue of squamous cell lung carcinomas.
Where do lung adenocarcinomas usually form?
Usually more peripheral in glands of bronchioloalveolar tissue.
Gross characteristic of adenocarcinomas.
Pleural puckering
-due to peripheral tumor growth
What is the difference in the demographics of patients that develop squamous cell lung cancer vs. adenocarcinoma?
Squamous: male smokers
Adenocarcinoma: female non-smokers
What is bronchioloalveolar carcinomas and what are the two types?
Forms peripherally, ver slow growing and non-destructive.
- Mucinous type: columnar epithelium, mucous production
- Non-Mucinous type: cuboidal epithelium, no mucous
Where do most small cell lung carcinomas form?
Centrally, near main bronchi or carina
What conditions are associated with small cell lung carcinomas?
Paraneoplastic syndromes.
What are microscopic characteristics of small cell lung carcinomas?
Nuclear molding (spooning) Salt and pepper nuclei
Where do most large cell lung carcinomas form?
Peripheral: actually can involve thoracic wall
What is a hamartoma?
Tumors containing ectopic tissue (cell types not common in the tissue in which the tumor forms)
How do metastatic tumors appear on gross examination?
Lots of peripheral lesions, appear as a “shotgun blast” of lesions
