Diagnostic Difficulties with the diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma of the lung

Small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC) is a well characterized form of lung cancer that is frequently already metastatic at diagnosis. Thus, patients with SCLC are usually treated with chemotherapy, and therefore emphasis has been placed on distinguishing that tumor from squamous cell carcinomas, large cell carcinomas and other pulmonary neoplasms that can more often be managed surgically. SCLC can be readily and accurately diagnosed in biopsy specimens or cytological preparations, but, in selected cases, it can pose difficult diagnostic dilemmas.
Source: Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Source Type: research