Small cell carcinoma of the lung

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'Small cell carcinoma of the lung, also small cell lung carcinoma (abbreviated SCLC)[1] is an aggressive malignant tumour of the lung. It is strongly associated with smoking.

General

  • Strong association with smoking.
  • Typically treated with chemotherapy.
  • Poor prognosis.

On a spectrum of lesions (benign to malignant):[1]

Precursor lesion - uncommonly seen:

  • Pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia.[1]

Gross

  • Central location (close to large airways) - typical.
  • Necrosis.

Microscopic

Features:

  • Stippled chromatin.
  • High NC ratio, scant basophilic cytoplasm.
  • Typically small cells ~2x RBC diameter.
  • +/-Nuclear moulding.
  • Necrosis.
  • Mitoses.

Notes:

  • There should be no nucleolus.

DDx:

Images

IHC

  • Synaptophysin +ve.
    • May be very weak.
  • TTF-1 +ve (15 of 16 cases).[2]

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LOWER LOBE OF LUNG, LEFT, CORE BIOPSY:
- SMALL CELL CARCINOMA.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Travis, WD. (Oct 2010). "Advances in neuroendocrine lung tumors.". Ann Oncol 21 Suppl 7: vii65-71. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdq380. PMID 20943645.
  2. Wu, M.; Szporn, AH.; Zhang, D.; Wasserman, P.; Gan, L.; Miller, L.; Burstein, DE. (Oct 2005). "Cytology applications of p63 and TTF-1 immunostaining in differential diagnosis of lung cancers.". Diagn Cytopathol 33 (4): 223-7. doi:10.1002/dc.20337. PMID 16138374.