Adenocarcinoma of the lung: electron microscopy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens--a review of 73 cases.
During a 10-yr period, 128 consecutive cases of pulmonary adenocarcinoma of varying differentiation were diagnosed with percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Sediments from the needle and syringe washings with 3% glutaraldehyde were obtained and processed for electron microscopic evaluation in 73 cases. Our results showed three types of adenocarcinoma: 62 cases of nonciliated bronchiolar cell origin, 6 cases of bronchioloalveolar cell origin, and 3 cases of mucous cell origin. In addition, there was an example of combined adenosquamous carcinoma and an instance of amphicrine carcinoma. Our study provided a more precise definition of the cytologic diagnosis and insight into the heterogeneity of lung adenocarcinoma. However, prognostic differences between cell types of lung adenocarcinoma were not observed.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged