Lung

Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma



Last author update: 1 September 2012
Last staff update: 8 May 2023 (update in progress)

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PubMed Search: squamous cell carcinoma[title] lung

Deepali Jain, M.D.
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Cite this page: Jain D. Squamous cell carcinoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lungtumorSCC.html. Accessed May 30th, 2023.
Definition / general
  • Carcinoma arising from squamous epithelial cells, morphologically characterized by proliferation of atypical, often pleomorphic squamous cells; graded as well, moderately, or poorly differentiated; well differentiated carcinomas are usually associated with keratin production and presence of intercellular bridges between adjacent cells; subtypes include basaloid, clear cell type, papillary, small cell nonkeratinizing
Terminology
  • Early lung carcinoma of hilar type:
    • Arises proximal to sub segmental bronchi (i.e. major bronchi), confined to bronchial wall with no lymph node metastases
    • Usually squamous cell carcinoma; may be polypoid, nodular, superficially infiltrating or mixed
    • Longitudinal mucosal folds show changes at tumor border
    • Superficial tumor has thickened and fused folds
    • Five year survival is 90% or more if no second squamous cell carcinoma present

  • Early squamous cell carcinoma of peripheral type:
    • Defined as tumor 2 cm or less in peripheral lung with no lymph node or distal metastases
    • Only rarely identified in practice, since these tumors grow rapidly
    • Often have glandular cell characteristics

  • Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma:
    • Very aggressive subtype

  • Spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma:
    • Also called sarcomatoid carcinoma

  • Papillary squamous cell carcinoma:
    • Rare, well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma characterized by papillary, exophytic growth pattern and hyperkeratosis
Case reports
Gross description
  • Usually central portion of lung affecting larger bronchi but may be peripheral
  • Invades peribronchial soft tissue, lung parenchyma and nearby lymph nodes
  • May compress pulmonary artery and vein
  • Peripheral tumors often have nodular growth with central necrosis and cavitation
  • Surrounding lung may exhibit lipid pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, atelectasis
  • Calcification is unusual
Gross images

Contributed by @yro854 on Twitter
Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma



Images hosted on other servers:
Central cavitation

Central cavitation

Tumor obstructing bronchus

Tumor obstructing bronchus

Tumor extending to pleura

Tumor extending to pleura

Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Sheets or islands of large polygonal malignant cells containing keratin (individual cells or keratin pearls) and intercellular bridges
  • Adjacent bronchial dysplasia or carcinoma in situ is common
  • At advancing tumor border, tumor cells usually destroy alveoli or fill alveolar spaces
  • Rarely spreads beneath basement membrane
  • May have focal areas of intracytoplasmic mucin
  • Rarely oncocytes, foreign body giant cells (reacting to keratin), pallisading granulomas, extensive neutrophilic infiltration, lepidic growth pattern at tumor periphery, clear cell change (glycogen)
  • Classify as well, moderately or poorly differentiated based on amount of keratinization present in predominant component
  • Peripheral tumor types: alveolar space filling (tumor cells fill alveoli but don’t destroy elastic septa), expanding type (growth destroys elastic septa) or mixture
  • Subtypes: basaloid, clear cell (numerous clear tumor cells containing glycogen), small cell (small tumor cells with focal keratinization, distinct nucleoli, sharply outlined tumor nests, less necrosis than small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma), papillary
  • Important to examine margins carefully for intraepithelial spread
Microscopic (histologic) images

Contributed by Andrey Bychkov, M.D., Ph.D.
Bronchial biopsy

Bronchial biopsy

SCC cocktail

SCC cocktail



Images hosted on other servers:
Well differentiated

Well differentiated

Moderately differentiated

Moderately differentiated

Mixed, with keratin pearls and mitotic figures

Mixed, with keratin pearls and mitotic figures

Cytology description
  • Often positive in sputum
Positive stains
Negative stains
  • Vimentin (usually), TTF1 (usually), Napsin A
Electron microscopy description
  • Abundant tonofilaments, complex desmosomes, basal lamina
Differential diagnosis
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