Well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung: cytomorphologic features on fine-needle aspiration with emphasis on use of beta-catenin as a useful diagnostic marker.
Well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma (WDFA), also known as low grade adenocarcinoma of the fetal lung type, is a rare pulmonary neoplasm now considered to be a variant of lung adenocarcinoma rather than a type of pulmonary blastoma. Upregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway with subsequent aberrant nuclear/cytoplasmic beta-catenin expression has been recently described in these tumors providing a possible pathogenetic role for this gene in WDFA. We describe the cytomorphologic findings of a case of WDFA in a 36-yr-old female patient and emphasize the diagnostic utility of aberrant nuclear/cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin as an adjunct to the correct preoperative recognition of this tumor on aspiration cytology.
Proctor
Lori
L
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Folpe
Andrew L
AL
Esper
Annette
A
Wolfenden
Linda L
LL
Force
Seth
S
Logani
Sanjay
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000556:secondary; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018202:Pulmonary Blastoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051176:beta Catenin