title: Cytological characteristics of pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.
abstract: To establish cytological features of pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), we evaluated the cytological characteristics of LCNEC. Samples from 25 histologically confirmed LCNECs (14 touch imprint (TI) and 11 curettage) were analyzed. The findings were compared with those for seven small cell lung carcinomas. Cytological findings of TIs were as follows: Tumor cells were medium- to large-sized, round or polygonal, and nuclear polymorphism was observed. Some of the tumor cells had clearly identified cytoplasms, but naked nuclei were frequently observed. Nuclei were round, oval, or polygonal, and possessed thin and smooth nuclear membranes. The nuclear chromatin pattern was finely or coarsely granular. One or two nucleoli were observed in the nuclei, but were inconspicuous in some cases. Tumor cells appeared in clusters, and rosette formation was observed, but single cells were frequently observed also. Necrotic background and nuclear streaking were frequently observed. In brush or curettage specimens, the number of cells observed on a glass was small, but the findings were almost the same as those for the TI samples. TI samples have characteristic features, such as a neuroendocrine morphologic pattern, large cell size, abundant cytoplasm, finely or coarsely granular chromatin of the nucleus, and prominent nucleoli, and the diagnosis of LCNEC is possible. In brush or curettage specimen, the LCNEC diagnosis may be possible if a sufficient number of tumor cells are obtained.
authors.affiliation: Committee on Pulmonary Cytology, The Japan Lung Cancer Society, Japan. kenzo@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Kenzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiroshima
authors.forename: Shosaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kikui
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Hikotaro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Yasuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Motoyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagawa
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tagawa
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tomio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Suguru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanzawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horai
mesh_terms: D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002466:Cell Nucleolus; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin