Molecular Pathology OF THE
SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER
INTRODUCTION
The small cell lung cancer is an epithelial malignant
tumor made up of small cells, with cytoplasm poor, marginal, with fine,
granular appearance and lack of nucleoli. It has a high rate of mitosis and
extensive necrosis. It differs through a very high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio (1).
So far no precursors are not known, as well as for
the lung cancer with neuroendocrine cells. The diffuse neuroendocrine hyperplasia
is not considered pre-neoplastic lesion (1).
The lung neuroendocrine neoplasms are a wide range
of entities phenotypic, biologically distinct, starting from the typical and
atypical carcinoids up to small cell lung cancer and lung cancer with neuroendocrine
cells.
The neuroendocrine appearance is highlighted
through immuno-histochemistry and electron microscopy (2).
Small cell lung cancer forms simultaneously part
of the neuroendocrine tumors with neuroendocrine cell
