title: Bronchial fibroepithelial polyp: a clinico-radiologic, bronchoscopic, histopathological and in-situ hybridisation study of 15 cases of a poorly recognised lesion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bronchial fibroepithelial polyp is an uncommon, poorly recognised lesion, lacking clear diagnostic criteria at histology, but possibly mimicking neoplastic growth on clinico-radiologic and histopathological grounds. The aim of this study was to define the clinico-pathological features, bronchoscopic appearance and treatment of bronchial fibroepithelial polyp.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected the largest series of bronchial fibroepithelial polyps (15 consecutive cases), including clinico-pathological, bronchoscopic, radiologic and histological features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there were 13 males and 2 females, with a mean age of 68 years at diagnosis. Eight patients were asymptomatic, whereas four presented with haemoptysis, two with fever, cough and pneumonia-like opacity, and one with dry recurrent cough. Mean size of the lesion was 6.5 mm (range, 2-20 mm) without any prevalence for segmental bronchi. Lesions larger than 10 mm were always symptomatic and visible at computed tomography scans. At bronchoscopy, the lesion appeared as a firm endobronchial nodule with hard consistency and glistening, whitish, smooth surface. A multilobulated and sepimentated surface was observed in the largest polyps. Whatever the size, histological features were quite similar in all cases, consisting in a polypoid lesion with a dense, collagenous, hypocellular stroma with some thin-walled, ectatic vessels and a regular respiratory mucosa on surface. In-situ hybridisation with human papillomavirus probe was negative in all the eight tested cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the benign behaviour of bronchial fibroepithelial polyps, it is important to fix some robust diagnostic criteria in order to avoid misdiagnoses leading to unnecessary aggressive treatment. Differential diagnosis mainly includes inflammatory polyps, hamartomas and papillomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Haematology, Respiratory Diseases Clinic, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casalini
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Advanced Technologies, Operative Unit of Pathologic Anatomy, Azienda Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova/IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavazza
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Pulmonology, Civic Hospital, Mirandola, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andreani
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Haematology, Respiratory Diseases Clinic, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Haematology, Respiratory Diseases Clinic, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Pulmonology, Civic Hospital, Mirandola, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca Gaia
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Cappiello
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Laboratories, Section of Pathologic Anatomy, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mengoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Haematology, Respiratory Diseases Clinic, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corradini
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Pulmonology, Azienda Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova/IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Pulmonology, Civic Hospital, Sassuolo, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serini
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Laboratories, Section of Pathologic Anatomy, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
keywords: benign; bronchus; fibroepithelial; lung; polyp; tumour