Title: Molecular Pathology of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Precursors
Abstract: The normal respiratory mucosal epithelium at birth may undergo histologic changes during life due to exposure to a variety of environmental irritants, including tobacco smoke, radon exposure, and occupational toxins. Long-term carcinogenic insults may result in the development of multiple premalignant or malignant lesions in the respiratory epithelium. There is a wide spectrum of histopathologic changes in the respiratory epithelium, including hyperplastic lesions (basal cell hyperplasia/reserve cell hyperplasia), metaplastic lesions (primarily squamous metaplasia), dysplasia (mild, moderate, and severe), squamous cell carcinoma in situ, and invasive squamous cell carcinoma.1 The precursor lesions are also described as preneoplastic, premalignant, or preinvasive and are defined as epithelial abnormalities that are cytologically neoplastic but do not penetrate the basement membrane.2 These lesions have the capacity to progress to invasive carcinoma, to regress toward normal, or to remain indolent.3
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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