Tumours of the lung and pleura Flashcards
What are the 4 broad classifications of lung tumours?
Carcinoid tumours
Metastatic tumours
Small cell tumours
Non-small cell tumours
What are the 3 types of non-small cell tumours?
Large cell tumour
Adenocarcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Where are adenocarcinomas often found within the lung?
Peripherally
What is the commonest type of non small cell lung cancer?
Adenocarcinoma
What microscopic and macroscopic findings indicates a biopsy is an adenocarcinoma?
Gland formation and the sample glistening (due to mucin)
What important immunohistochemical marker is exhibited on adenocarcinomas?
TTF1
Do adenocarcinomas exhibit a strong smoking association?
No
Where are squamous cell carcinomas often found within the lung? What other feature surrounding the SCC indicates its nature?
SQUAre in the middle
Cavitating lesion
Why are SCCs intensely pink on histology?
Becauses of extra and intracellular keratinisation
Do SCCs exhibit a strong association with smoking?
Yes
What other histopathological change is strongly associated with SCC? What are these defined as?
Intercellular bridges
Slender cytoplasmic strands connecting adjacent cells; in histologic sections of the epidermis and other stratified squamous epithelia, the bridges are processes without cytoplasmic continuity attached by desmosomes and are shrinkage artifacts of fixation; true bridges with cytoplasmic confluence exist between incompletely divided germ cells.
Are small cell carcinomas more or less common than non-small carcinomas?
Less common
How do small cell carcinomas appear on microscopy?
Very poorly differentiated, minimal cytoplasm, crushed appearance
What is the major concern with small cell carcinoma?
Spread very easily to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Cause massive mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
Do small cell carcinomas exhibit a strong smoking association?
Yes
