Lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma with aerogenous spread of mucin in a young patient -- a case report.
We present a unique case of a 26 year-old female non-smoker who expired following treatment for presumed pneumonias. At autopsy, lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma with aerogenous spread of mucin without evidence of invasion, a rare diagnosis that previously would have fallen under the umbrella of "bronchioloalveolar carcinoma," was found. Histopathology showed mucin-secreting neoplastic cells lining the alveolar walls, as well as exfoliated and dense aggregates of mucinous debris filling the alveoli. The immediate cause of death was respiratory failure, most likely due to the significant amount of tumor-produced mucin that filled the alveolar spaces, which literally drowned the patient.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA. Electronic address: ENguyen@dhs.lacounty.gov.
Elise
E
Nguyen
Department of Internal Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
Matthew
M
Hakimi
Department of Internal Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
Bahman
B
Chavoshan
Department of Internal Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
William
W
Stringer
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
Samuel W
SW
French
D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D009077:Mucins
Aerogenous spread; Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma; Lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma; Lung cancer; Mucin