Localized bronchioloalveolar carcinoma with small foci of active fibroblastic proliferation. A report of 2 cases.
Localized bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (LBAC) without foci of active fibroblastic proliferation has been reported to be a pN0 disease. Predominantly, these tumors have not been associated with cancer relapse or death subsequent to surgery. Based on these observations, LBAC cases have been considered candidates for limited lung resection without lymph node dissection. However, this surgical option requires careful validation, and an accurate diagnosis is indispensable. The absence of foci of active fibroblastic proliferation must be confirmed by a thorough investigation. Nonetheless, these foci may escape detection, and even currently accepted diagnostic modalities may not be sufficient to accurately determine their absence. We illustrate this point by reporting 2 cases of LBAC with small but distinct foci of active fibroblastic proliferation.
Sugita
Makoto
M
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Japan. m-sugita@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
Sagawa
Motoyasu
M
Ueda
Yoshimichi
Y
Higashi
Kotaro
K
Sakuma
Tsutomu
T
D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000368:Aged; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed