Patho LE 4

Question 1

A 65-year-old woman with a history of smoking presents with a 3-week history of chest pain and bloody sputum. An X-ray film of the chest reveals a hilar lung mass. The surgical specimen reveals a squamous cell carcinoma growing within the lumen of a bronchus. Which of the following chemical agents may be associated with the pathogenesis of the cancer in this patient?
(A) Aflatoxins
(B) Aromatichydrocarbons
(C) Benzene
(D) Branched chain amino acids
(E) Carbohydratepolymers

Answer 1

B. These compounds (e.g., benzopyrene, methyl cholanthrene) are potent experi- mental carcinogens. Aflatoxins (choice A) produce experi- mental liver cancer. The tumor in this patient is a squamous cell carcinoma, which bears a strong resemblance to normal squamous cells and synthesizes keratin, as evidenced by epi-
thelial pearls.
Diagnosis: Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung