Cytopathology of Oncocytic Carcinoid Tumor of the Lung Mimicking Granular Cell Tumor

Oncocytic Carcinoid Tumor of the Lung

“…The majority of oncocytic carcinoids occur as central lesions grossly indistinguishable from typical pulmonary carcinoids. 1,3 Our case presented with bronchoscopic appearance of a polypoidal growth in the right lobe bronchus. Although there are a few reports describing the morphologic appearance of oncocytic carcinoid on fine needle aspiration smears and exfoliative cytology, 3 the purpose of this case report is to highlight a potential diagnostic pitfall when this variant is encountered on filter membrane preparations.…”

“…3,10 The cytopathologic features of bronchial granular cell tumor appear to be indistinguishable from those of oncocytic carcinoid. Granular cell tumors manifest as loose aggregates of granular cells with uniform nucleus on cytologic preparation.…”

“…Granular cell tumors manifest as loose aggregates of granular cells with uniform nucleus on cytologic preparation. Ogino et al, 3 in their report on cytopathology of oncocytic carcinoid on bronchial brushings, gave a cytologic impression of granular cell tumor. Cells were large and polygonal, with abundant finely granular basophilic or amphophillic cytoplasm, eccentrically located nucleus and evenly dispersed, granular chromatin.…”

“…To the best of our knowledge the cytopathologic features of oncocytic carcinoid tumor of lung rarely have been described. 3 We report a case that was prepared on filter membrane.…”

Cytologic findings in granular cell tumors, with emphasis on the diagnosis of malignant granular cell tumor by fine-needle aspiration biopsy

“…Melanoma, although it also is positive for S-100, may manifest melanosomes ultrastructurally and may exhibit positivity for additional markers, such as HMB-45 and/or MART-1. Neuroendocrine tumors also occasionally may exhibit a granular cytoplasm 27 but can be identified by their immunopositivity for neuroendocrine markers or the presence of neurosecretory granules on ultrastructural examination. Soft tissue lesions that commonly exhibit a granular cytoplasm include smooth muscle tumors, which have a characteristic immunophenotype and ultrastructure, and tumors with skeletal muscle differentiation, 28 such as rhabdomyoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, which may be distinguished by their distinct cell borders and cytoplasmic striations or by means of special studies.…”