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Squamous Carcinoma of Lung
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Squamous Carcinoma of Lung

Portion of lung opened prior to fixation.
Black arrows are located within the congested airways of major bronchus splitting into segmental bronchi.
Blue arrows highlight a yellow tan lesion which erupts into the lumen of the bronchus.
A black area within the neoplasm is a pigmented lymph node which has been engulfed by the carcinoma.
(Description By:Melinda Sanders, M.D. )
(Image Contrib. by: UCHC )
Squamous Carcinoma
Etiology

Most closely associated with cigarette smoking of all lung cancers
Radiation, air pollution and genetic predisposition may also play a role
Pathogenesis

BPDE (catabolite of benzo[a]pyrene in cigarette smoke) binds p53 mutational hot spots in lung carcinoma
p53 mutation affects cell replication and centromere replication
Sequence of changes from squamous metaplasia to dysplasia to carcinoma in situ and then invasive carcinoma seen. ,
Epidemiology

Accounts for up to half of all lung cancers.
Up to 10% of long term cigarette smokers develop
General Gross Description

Usually arises from a major bronchus resulting in a central rather than a peripheral location
Gray white hard granular neoplasm
Central cavitation common in large cancers
Uninvolved lung may often show emphysema or other smoking related pathology
General Microscopic Description

Composed of cells with large irregular nuclei
Coarse nuclear chromatin with large nucleoli
Cells arranged in sheets
May make keratin pearls
Intercellular bridges considered diagnostic
Clinical Correlation

Central location associated with cough and hemoptysis
Weight loss and dyspnea
Staging dependent on extent of disease ranging from I (confined to the lung with >2 cm distance from hilum and pleura) to IV (metastatic disease)
Metastatic disease to lymph nodes, brain, liver and adrenal glands
Surgical treatment is preferred; many patients have insufficient pulmonary reserve for surgery; radiation an alternative
Overall five year survival 10%
References

Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th edition. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 720-25.
Squamous Carcinoma
Synopsis by: Melinda Sanders M.D. (T28000M80703)[123]
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