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Ultrastructural findings in metastatic bronchioloalveolar carcinoma
Mary Aldrene L Tan1, Saul Teichberg, Beth Roberts
1Department of Pathology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York, USA.
Abstract:
This study was prompted by the recent revision of the definition of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) that defines BAC, light microscopically, as a non-invasive carcinoma. Doubt has been raised whether BACs retain certain specific microscopic features after becoming invasive or metastatic. We studied 7 cases of metastatic, non-mucinous BAC by electron microscopy. Of these cases, 5 showed Clara cell granules and 1 revealed lamellar bodies. The remaining case did not show ultrastructural features of BAC. These findings suggest that most BACs retain some of their ultrastructural features after becoming metastatic neoplasms.