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Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Tsilimigras, DI; Bakopoulos, A; Ntanasis-Stathopoulos, I; Gavriatopoulou, M; Moris, D; Karaolanis, G; Spartalis, E; Vagios, S; Kalfa, M ...
Published in: Respiratory medicine case reports
January 2018

Clear cell tumor of the lung (CCTL) is an extremely rare neoplasm with about 50 cases reported in the literature so far. CCTL belongs to a family arising from putative perivascular epithelioid cells and is otherwise named as "sugar tumor" due to its high cellular glycogen concentration. Due to its rarity, diagnostic features of this entity are not widely known and this usually leads to misdiagnosis. Herein, we report a case of benign CCTL, which was primarily evaluated intraoperatively by FNA cytology and then by a pathological examination of the resected tumor. The cytologic preparations were moderately cellular and showed multiple large, irregular, cohesive clusters of ovoid or spindle tumor cells. Cells had clear cytoplasm, showing positivity with the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining method owing to the glycogen (sugar) content. The rapid cytologic report excluded the possibility of malignancy and a middle lobectomy along with an anterior upper segmentectomy was performed. Immunochemistry revealed a diffuse positivity for HMB45, MART-1, SMA and focally for desmin, while specimen was negative for pancytokeratin cocktail AE1/AE3, cytokeratin7, cytokeratin20 and EMA. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of a benign CCTL. Due to its rarity and similarity with other clear cell tumors of the lung, awareness of this entity, recognition of the cytomorphologic features and familiarity with the associated clinical features can help clinicians avoid certain pitfalls in the diagnostic process. Considering its benign course, unnecessary extensive lung resections may also be avoided thus permitting conservative management of these patients.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Respiratory medicine case reports

DOI

EISSN

2213-0071

ISSN

2213-0071

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

23

Start / End Page

52 / 54

Related Subject Headings

  • 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
 

Citation

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Tsilimigras, D. I., Bakopoulos, A., Ntanasis-Stathopoulos, I., Gavriatopoulou, M., Moris, D., Karaolanis, G., … Avgerinos, D. V. (2018). Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 23, 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.12.001
Tsilimigras, Diamantis I., Anargyros Bakopoulos, Ioannis Ntanasis-Stathopoulos, Maria Gavriatopoulou, Demetrios Moris, Georgios Karaolanis, Eleftherios Spartalis, et al. “Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor.Respiratory Medicine Case Reports 23 (January 2018): 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.12.001.
Tsilimigras DI, Bakopoulos A, Ntanasis-Stathopoulos I, Gavriatopoulou M, Moris D, Karaolanis G, et al. Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor. Respiratory medicine case reports. 2018 Jan;23:52–4.
Tsilimigras, Diamantis I., et al. “Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor.Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, vol. 23, Jan. 2018, pp. 52–54. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.12.001.
Tsilimigras DI, Bakopoulos A, Ntanasis-Stathopoulos I, Gavriatopoulou M, Moris D, Karaolanis G, Spartalis E, Vagios S, Kalfa M, Salla C, Avgerinos DV. Clear cell "sugar tumor" of the lung: Diagnostic features of a rare pulmonary tumor. Respiratory medicine case reports. 2018 Jan;23:52–54.
Journal cover image

Published In

Respiratory medicine case reports

DOI

EISSN

2213-0071

ISSN

2213-0071

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

23

Start / End Page

52 / 54

Related Subject Headings

  • 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology