Bronchial washing cytology of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of lung: A case report

초록

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of lung is histologically identical to that of the salivary gland consisting of squamoid cells, mucin-secreting cells and intermediate cells. Most of this tumor arise from bronchial glands in the central airways. Here we report a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of lung with bronchial washing cytology. Atelectasis of right middle lobe of lung was incidentally found in 66-year-old female on chest X-ray. The computed tomography of chest suggested an endobronchial mass in lateral segmental bronchus of right middle lobe. The fiberoptic bronchoscopy and cytologic examination of bronchial washing were performed. The smears were predominantly comparised of the clusters of squamoid cells and intermediate cells. The intermediate cells showed small to intermediate sized, round to oval irregular nuclei with well-defined cytoplasm. The squamoid cells demonstrated larger irregular hyperchromatic nuclei and a high nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio. A few glandular structures with vacuolated cells were noted. The cytologic findings were consistent with mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The patient underwent lobectomy of middle lobe of right lung. The tumor was confirmed as high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma by histology.