Giant cell carcinoma of the lung
Encyclopedia
Giant cell carcinoma of the lung (GCCL) is a rare histological type of undifferentiated lung cancer
containing extremely large, bizarre, mono- and multinucleated malignant
cells microscopically resembling pleomorphic
cells found in some forms of sarcoma
.
("WHO-2004") typing system, currently the most widely used lung cancer classification scheme. Because these variants can have widely differing genetic, biological, and clinical properties, including response to treatment, correct classification of lung cancer cases are necessary to assure that lung cancer patients receive optimum management.
Approximately 98% of lung cancers are carcinoma
, which are tumors composed of cells with epithelial characteristics. LCLC's are one of 8 major groups of lung carcinomas recognized in WHO-2004:
GCCL is classified as a subtype of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
, along with pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma
, and pulmonary blastoma.
scanning, GCCL has been found to have exceedingly high standardized uptake values (SUV) for radioactive glucose, values that are statistically significantly higher than in other histological variants of lung cancer.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
containing extremely large, bizarre, mono- and multinucleated malignant
Malignant
Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...
cells microscopically resembling pleomorphic
Pleomorphism (cytology)
Pleomorphism is a term used in histology and cytopathology to describe variability in the size and shape of cells and/or their nuclei. It is a feature characteristic of malignant neoplasms....
cells found in some forms of sarcoma
Sarcoma
A sarcoma is a cancer that arises from transformed cells in one of a number of tissues that develop from embryonic mesoderm. Thus, sarcomas include tumors of bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, vascular, and hematopoietic tissues...
.
Classification
Lung cancers are an extremely heterogeneous family of malignant neoplasms, with well over 50 different histological variants recognized under the 2004 revision of the World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
("WHO-2004") typing system, currently the most widely used lung cancer classification scheme. Because these variants can have widely differing genetic, biological, and clinical properties, including response to treatment, correct classification of lung cancer cases are necessary to assure that lung cancer patients receive optimum management.
Approximately 98% of lung cancers are carcinoma
Carcinoma
Carcinoma is the medical term for the most common type of cancer occurring in humans. Put simply, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that generally arises from cells originating in the endodermal or ectodermal germ layer during...
, which are tumors composed of cells with epithelial characteristics. LCLC's are one of 8 major groups of lung carcinomas recognized in WHO-2004:
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Small-Cell Carcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma
- Large-Cell Carcinoma
- Adenosquamous Carcinoma
- Sarcomatoid Carcinoma
- Carcinoid Tumor
- Salivary Gland-like Carcinoma
GCCL is classified as a subtype of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung is a term that encompasses five distinct histological subtypes of lung cancer, including pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, giant cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma, or pulmonary blastoma....
, along with pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma
Carcinosarcoma
Carcinosarcoma is a malignant tumor that is a mixture of carcinoma and sarcoma ....
, and pulmonary blastoma.
Positron Emission Tomography of GCCL
On Positron Emission TomographyPositron emission tomography
Positron emission tomography is nuclear medicine imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image or picture of functional processes in the body. The system detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide , which is introduced into the body on a...
scanning, GCCL has been found to have exceedingly high standardized uptake values (SUV) for radioactive glucose, values that are statistically significantly higher than in other histological variants of lung cancer.
Metabolic Pathways of GCCL
PET scanning suggests that GCCL are tumors with particularly rapid metabolism, and that the metabolic pathways of GCCL may be unusually dependent on, or interlinked to, glycolysis.External links
- http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/pdfs-online/pat-gen/index.php World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Lung, Pleura, Thymus and Heart (Download Page).
- http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung Lung cancer page at the National Cancer Institute.