title: Micropapillary pattern in lung adenocarcinoma: aspect on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging.
abstract: We diagnosed a non-small cell lung carcinoma in a 49-year-old female patient with the histopathological diagnosis of stage IIIB mixed bronchioloalveolar and papillary adenocarcinoma with extensive micropapillary feature, which was not visualized on the preoperative multimodality imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). The micropapillary component characterized by a unique growth pattern with particular morphological features can be observed in all subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma. Micropapillary component is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity associated with higher aggressiveness. Even the most modern multimodality PET/CT imaging technology may fail to adequately visualize this important component with highly relevant prognostic implications. Thus, the pathologist needs to consciously look for a micropapillary component in the surgical specimen or in preoperative biopsies or cytology. This may have potential future treatment implications, as adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be of relevance, even in the early stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. John.Prior@chuv.ch
authors.forename: John O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stupp
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Letovanec
mesh_terms: D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18