Erythrophagocytosis by undifferentiated lung carcinoma cells.
A case is reported of undifferentiated metastatic lung carcinoma in which both a supraclavicular lymph node and bone marrow were infiltrated by anaplastic tumor cells which had engulfed erythrocytes and nucleated elements. The possibility of a histiocytic origin for the phagocytizing neoplastic cells was excluded by ultrastructural, cytochemical, and immunoperoxidase studies. This investigation shows that epithelial tumor cells may, at times develop phagocytizing activity, a phenomenon observed in certain experimentally induced tumors. The mechanism responsible for this phenomenon is not clear.
D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010784:Photomicrography