Large-cell lung carcinoma
| Large-cell carcinoma | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 446: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| ICD-O | M8012/3 |
| Patient UK | Large-cell lung carcinoma |
| MeSH | D018287 |
Large-cell carcinoma (LCC) is a heterogeneous group of undifferentiated malignant neoplasms that lack the cytologic and architectural features of small cell carcinoma and glandular or squamous differentiation. LCC is categorized as a type of NSCLC (Non-Small Cell Carcinoma) which originates from epithelial cells of the lung.[1]
Contents
Incidence
In most series, LCLC's comprise between 5% and 10% of all lung cancers.
According to the Nurses' Health Study, the risk of large cell lung carcinoma increases with a previous history of tobacco smoking, with a previous smoking duration of 30 to 40 years giving a relative risk of approximately 2.3 compared to never-smokers, and a duration of more than 40 years giving a relative risk of approximately 3.6.[2]
Another study concluded that cigarette smoking is the predominant cause of large cell lung cancer. It estimated that the odds ratio associated with smoking two or more packs/day for current smokers is 37.0 in men and 72.9 in women.[3]
Diagnosis
LCC is, in effect, a "diagnosis of exclusion", in that the tumor cells lack light microscopic characteristics that would classify the neoplasm as a small-cell carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or other more specific histologic type of lung cancer.
LCC is differentiated from small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) primarily by the larger size of the anaplastic cells, a higher cytoplasmic-to-nuclear size ratio, and a lack of "salt-and-pepper" chromatin.
Classification
The newest revisions of the World Health Organization (WHO) "Histological Typing of Lung Cancer schema" include several variants of LCC, including:
- Giant-cell carcinoma of the lung
- Basaloid large cell carcinoma of the lung
- Clear cell carcinoma of the lung
- Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung
- Large-cell lung carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype
- Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung
Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC)
One clinically significant subtype is "large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma" (LCNEC),[4] which is believed to derive from neuroendocrine cells.[5]
In addition, a "subvariant", called "combined large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma" (or c-LCNEC), is recognized under the new system. To be designated a c-LCNEC, the tumor must contain at least 10% LCNEC cells, in combination with at least 10% of other forms of NSCLC.
Pathology images
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Large cell carcinoma of the lung.jpg
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Large cell carcinoma of the lung .jpg
Clinically
Patients typically present with a non-productive cough and weight loss.
References
- ↑ Smokers defined as current or former smoker of more than 1 year of duration. See image page in Commons for percentages in numbers. Reference:
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External links
- [1]. World Health Organization Histological Classification of Lung and Pleural Tumours. 4th Edition.
