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Oat‐cell carcinoma of the lung. Clinical and morphological studies in relation to its histogenesis
Author(s) -
Hattori Shoji,
Matsuda Minoru,
Tateishi Ryuhei,
Nishihara Hiromu,
Horai Takeshi
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197210)30:4<1014::aid-cncr2820300424>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - histogenesis , pathology , serotonin , carcinoma , oat cell carcinoma , lung cancer , carcinoid tumors , cytoplasm , lung , medicine , large cell , enterochromaffin cell , cell , cancer , biology , immunohistochemistry , respiratory disease , adenocarcinoma , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , receptor
Twenty‐four cases of oat‐cell carcinoma of the lung and four cases of bronchial carcinoid tumor were studied electron microscopically. Determinations of serotonin in serum and tissue were performed on these cases, and ACTH was assayed in the tumor tissue of seven cases. Neurosecretory‐type granules were usually observed in the tumor cells, and they were found concentrated in the pseudopod‐like cytoplasmic processes. Serotonin levels in serum and tumor tissue of these cases were frequently elevated and seemed to correlate to the number of neurosecretory‐type granules in tumor cells. In five out of seven cases of oat‐cell carcinoma, ACTH and serotonin were simultaneously detected in the tumor tissue. In 139 cases of other types of lung cancer, these granules were not observed, and either serotonin level or ACTH activity was not elevated in the tumor. These results strongly suggest that oat‐cell carcinoma is a special type of lung tumor producing neurosecretory‐type granules and also that it is a highly malignant variant of bronchial carcinoid tumor developing from Kulchitsky‐type cells found in bronchial glands.