Korean J Cytopathol.  1990 Dec;1(2):175-178.

Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Lung Diagnosed by Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy

• Park SY
• Lee KG

Abstract

A case of metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung, originated from the trachea, was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration. Although the cytologic features of adenoid cystic carcinoma have been well described, it is easy to confuse adenoid cystic carcinoma with more common primary small cell neoplasms of the lung, i.e., small cell carcinoma, well differentiated adenocarcinoma, and carcinoid tumor of the lung. The features distinguishing adenoid cystic carcinoma from these neoplasms include 1) tight, globular, honeycomb pattern of cells, 2) acellular basement membrane material in the lumen, and 3) cells lacking true nuclear molding and having bland chromatin pattern. The morphologic feature of metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma in this case was so distinctive as to permit a definite diagnosis by aspiration cytology.

Keyword

Fine needle aspiration; Metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma; Lung

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Adenoids*
Basement Membrane
Biopsy*
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*
Carcinoid Tumor
Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic*
Carcinoma, Small Cell
Chromatin
Diagnosis
Fungi
Lung*
Trachea
Chromatin