The authors report a case of a 4-year-old child whose death resulted from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and giant-cell pneumonia. Typical lung tumorlets were occasionally observed. On electron microscopy study it was possible to demonstrate a large number of neurosecretory granules in the tumorlet's cells, identical to those present in Kulchitsky's cells. These studies suggest the occurrence of an abnormal immunitary process.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BonikosD.S., ArchibaldR., BenschK.G.: On the origin of the so-called tumorlets of the lung.Human Pathol., 7: 461–469, 1976.
ChurgA., WarnockM.L.: Pulmonary tumorlet. A form of peripheral carcinoid.Cancer, 37: 1469–1477, 1976.
4.
DubeV.: Peripheral bronchial carcinoid with a spindle cell pattern.Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med., 189: 374–377, 1970.
5.
GmelichJ.T., BenschK.G., LiebowA.A.: Cells of Kulchitsky type in bronchioles and their relation to the origin of peripheral carcinoid tumor.Lab. Invest., 17: 88–98, 1967.
6.
GrimeliusL.: A silver nitrate stain for alfa2 cells in human pancreatic islets.Acta Soc. Med. Upsal., 73: 243–270, 1968.
7.
GutinP.H., GreenM.R., BleyerW.A., BauerV.L., WiernikP.A., WalkerM.D.: Methotrexate pneumonitis induced by intrathecal methotrexate therapy. A case report with pharmacokinetic data.Cancer, 38: 1529–1534, 1976.
8.
HeilmanE., FeinerH.: The role of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of unusual peripheral lung tumors.Human Pathol., 9: 589–593, 1978.
LemerleJ., BackesC., LallemandD., LejeuneJ.A., ReinertP.: Pneumopathies interstitielles chez les enfants traites pour affections malignes.Arch. Franc. Péd., 33: 569–598, 1976.
11.
RanchodM.: The histogenesis and development of pulmonary tumorlets.Cancer, 39: 1135–1165, 1977.
12.
ReynoldsE.S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy.J. Cell. Biol., 17: 208–212, 1963.
13.
SilvestriF., GiarelliL., MlacM., GoriD., FrausinL.: I tumorlets del polmone. Considerazioni istopatogenetiche sulla base di 21 casi autoptici.Pathologica, in press., 1979.
14.
SpencerH.: Pathology of the lung. pp. 217–221. Second Edition, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1968.
15.
WhitcombM.E., SchwarzM.I., TormeyD.C.: Methotrexate pneumonitis: Case report and review of the literature.Thorax, 27: 636–639, 1972.
16.
WhitwellF.: Tumorlets of the lung.J. Path. Bact., 70: 529–541, 1955.
