Acinar adenocarcinoma
Encyclopedia
Acinar adenocarcinoma is a histological subtype of gland-forming cancer
that is diagnosed when cuboidal and/or columnar shaped malignant
cells in the neoplastic tissue form acini
and tubules. It is a common form of cancer occurring in the lung
and prostate
gland.
) is the most common type of lung cancer
in the U.S., Japan, and most of Western Europe, although it is the second most common form in Eastern parts of Europe (after squamous cell carcinoma
). Adenocarcinomas are exceptionally heterogeneous neoplasms, occurring in four major tissue architectures (acinar, papillary, bronchioloalveolar, and solid), and several rarer variants. Most commonly, however, these lesions show a mixture of two or more subtypes or variants, and are subclassified as "adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes".
In China, which has the largest number of smokers and lung cancer cases in the world, the acinar tissue architectural pattern is by far the most common histological subtype of adenocarcinoma, comprising about 40% of all adenocarcinomas, and its incidence has increased significantly in recent decades. In Europe, acinar adenocarcinoma may comprise the dominant architectural pattern in as many as 50%-60% of all adenocarcinomas.
Acinar adenocarcinoma of the lung is a highly lethal disease. Overall five-year survival rates approximate 16% to 22%. Generally, survival is better in all stages for patients with the acinar (or papillary) pattern than it is in patients with the solid pattern, but considerably worse than those with the bronchioloalveolar pattern. Survival is significantly better in patients whose tumors are well differentiated (i.e. the glands and/or tubules are more completely developed) than when poorly differentiated (i.e. with rudimentary glands).
Some studies suggest that the oncogenes H-ras and fes are important drivers of oncogenesis in many acinar-type lung cancers.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
that is diagnosed when cuboidal and/or columnar shaped malignant
Malignant
Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...
cells in the neoplastic tissue form acini
Acinus
An acinus refers to any cluster of cells that resembles a many-lobed "berry," such as a raspberry...
and tubules. It is a common form of cancer occurring in the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
and prostate
Prostate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
gland.
Acinar Adenocarcinoma of the Lung
Adenocarcinoma ("adeno" = "gland", "carcinoma" = cancer of epitheliumEpithelium
Epithelium is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body, and also form many glands. Functions of epithelial cells include secretion, selective...
) is the most common type of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in the U.S., Japan, and most of Western Europe, although it is the second most common form in Eastern parts of Europe (after squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma , occasionally rendered as "squamous-cell carcinoma", is a histologically distinct form of cancer. It arises from the uncontrolled multiplication of malignant cells deriving from epithelium, or showing particular cytological or tissue architectural characteristics of...
). Adenocarcinomas are exceptionally heterogeneous neoplasms, occurring in four major tissue architectures (acinar, papillary, bronchioloalveolar, and solid), and several rarer variants. Most commonly, however, these lesions show a mixture of two or more subtypes or variants, and are subclassified as "adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes".
In China, which has the largest number of smokers and lung cancer cases in the world, the acinar tissue architectural pattern is by far the most common histological subtype of adenocarcinoma, comprising about 40% of all adenocarcinomas, and its incidence has increased significantly in recent decades. In Europe, acinar adenocarcinoma may comprise the dominant architectural pattern in as many as 50%-60% of all adenocarcinomas.
Acinar adenocarcinoma of the lung is a highly lethal disease. Overall five-year survival rates approximate 16% to 22%. Generally, survival is better in all stages for patients with the acinar (or papillary) pattern than it is in patients with the solid pattern, but considerably worse than those with the bronchioloalveolar pattern. Survival is significantly better in patients whose tumors are well differentiated (i.e. the glands and/or tubules are more completely developed) than when poorly differentiated (i.e. with rudimentary glands).
Some studies suggest that the oncogenes H-ras and fes are important drivers of oncogenesis in many acinar-type lung cancers.
Acinar Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate
Acinar adenocarcinomas are the most common form of prostate gland malignancy.External links
- http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/pdfs-online/pat-gen/index.php World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Lung, Pleura, Thymus and Heart (Download Page).
- http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung Lung cancer page at the National Cancer Institute.