Micropapillary carcinoma of lung
Micropapillary
architecture occurs in adenocarcinoma of the lung,
breast, colon
and ovary, and in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.
In lung, breast and bladder, a micropapillary component is associated
with more aggressive behavior and metastases tend to have a
micropapillary architecture. Micropapillary serous carcinoma of the
ovary has a significantly worse prognosis than do typical serous
borderline tumours2.
One
study found a micropapillary component in 16 of 35 stage I lung
adenocarcinomas, suggesting a more lax criterion and usual: even so
there was an association with nodal micro-metastases4.
Histopathology
Micropapillary
carcinomas are composed of papillary structures without a central
vascular core; this distinguishes them form papillary
adenocarcinomas. In
the lung, a micropapillary component may be associated with any of
the subtypes of adenocarcinoma
Immunohistochemistry
Prognosis
Microscopic
metastases are common and clinical stage I carcinomas are often
up-staged by pathological examination of lymph nodes. Once lymph node
metastases occur, the prognosis is poor3.
References
1Amin,
M. B., Tamboli, P., Merchant, S. H., Ordonez, N. G., Ro, J., Ayala,
A. G., Ro, J. Y. Micropapillary component in lung adenocarcinoma: a
distinctive histologic feature with possible prognostic significance.
Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:358-364.
2Staebler,
A., Heselmeyer-Haddad, K., Bell, K., Riopel, M., Perlman, E., Ried,
T., Kurman, R. J. Micropapillary serous carcinoma of the ovary has
distinct patterns of chromosomal imbalances by comparative genomic
hybridization compared with atypical proliferative serous tumors and
serous carcinomas. Human Pathol 2002;33:47-59.
3Miyoshi,
T., Y. Satoh, et al. (2003). "Early-stage lung adenocarcinomas
with a micropapillary pattern, a distinct pathologic marker for a
significantly poor prognosis." Am J Surg Pathol 27(1): 101-9.
4Roh,
M. S., J. I. Lee, et al. (2004). "Relationship between
micropapillary component and micrometastasis in the regional lymph
nodes of patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma."
Histopathology 45(6): 580-6.
This page last
revised 18.12.2004.
©SMUHT/PW Bishop