Patterns of recurrence of bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma after surgical resection: a radiological, histological, and immunohistochemical study.
OBJECTIVE
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is a subtype of lung adenocarcinoma whose incidence is raising. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma has a tendency to involve diffusely the lung. No agreement exists about whether diffuse bronchioloalveolar carcinoma has a multicentric or unicentric origin. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the correlation between intrapulmonary spread of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and its histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics.


METHODS
Surgical specimens of 20 bronchioloalveolar carcinomas with radiologically proved evolution from focal to diffuse disease were retrieved and reviewed. Patterns of pulmonary spread were defined on the basis of CT and MR imaging examinations. Immunohistochemical studies were performed to investigate the expression of gelatinase A and alpha2-integrin. Correlation between immunohistochemical results and patterns of pulmonary spread was evaluated. Statistical evaluation was performed by using Fisher Exact Test.


RESULTS
Three histological subtypes of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were found: mucinous (11 cases), non-mucinous (3 cases), and mixed adenocarcinoma with prominent bronchioloalveolar pattern (6 cases). Three patterns of pulmonary spread were depicted radiologically: parenchymal opacification (11 cases), multiple nodules (7 cases) and mixed pattern (2 cases). Eleven out of 12 mucin-producing versus none out of 8 non-mucin producing cancers developed parenchymal opacification. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.028). A statistically significant difference was also found between the development of parenchymal opacification and the level of alpha2-integrin: 11 out of 13 tumors with negative alpha2-integrin versus none out of 7 with positive alpha2-integrin immunoreactivity (P>0.033).


CONCLUSIONS
Diffuse bronchioloalveolar carcinoma may develop from a prior focal cancer. Mucinous subtype is the most prone to develop diffuse disease with parenchymal opacification, probably representing aerogenous spread. Low levels of alpha2-integrin receptors were found in bronchioloalveolar carcinoma which developed parenchymal opacification.
Gaeta
Michele
M
Institute of Radiological Science, Policlinico Universitario, Via Consolare Pompea, 45, 98168, Messina 98100, Italy.
Blandino
Alfredo
A
Pergolizzi
Stefano
S
Mazziotti
Silvio
S
Caruso
Rosario
R
Barone
Mario
M
Cascinu
Stefano
S
D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000032:analysis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D039421:Integrin alpha2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2