Cytomorphological features in sputum of pulmonary adenocarcinoma according to the degree of histological differentiation

Abstract

We classified 26 cases with pulmonary adenocarcinoma into three subtypes (well, moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) according to the degree of histologic differentiation, and studied the cytomorphologic characteristics of cancer cells of three subtypes exfoliated in sputum specimens.
The cells of the well-differentiated type revealed formation of papillary clusters. Vacuoles were observed in the cytoplasm. The nuclei were small and relatively uniform. The chromatin pattern was usually finely granular and nucleoli were small.
The cells of the moderately differentiated type usually appeared singly or in loose groups. The nuclei were medium sized. The chromatin pattern was finely granular. The nucleoli were medium sized.
The cells of the poorly differentiated type were observed singly, loosely and in a plane arrangement. The nuclei were large and varied in size. The nucleoli were also large.