Summary
Tumours arising in the bronchial mucous glands closely resemble tumours arising in the mixed salivary glands. Bronchial mucous gland tumours account for less than 0.5 per cent of all lung tumours. Twenty six tumours are reviewed and they have been divided into five types, (a) adenoidcystic carcinomas, (b) muco-epidermoid tumours, (c) mixed (pleomorphic) tumours, (d) cystadenomas and (f) oxyphilic adenoma. The clinical features, and postoperative course of the patients are reviewed. Adenocystic carcinomas arising in the bronchus frequently involve the neighbouring trachea and spread mainly by direct infiltration. Most muco-epidermoid bronchial tumours were confined to young persons, and the only malignant mucoepidermoid tumour occurred in an elderly person. The prognosis in young persons is good provided the tumours are completely excised. The two mixed bronchial tumours resembled their salivary counterparts and one subsequently behaved as a carcinoma and metastasised. Bronchial cystadenomas all proved to be benign tumours but in two cases were associated with surface papillary proliferation. The only example of an oxyphil cell adenoma was discovered at post mortem examination. The histogenesis of the tumours is considered.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, M.S. Jr., Marsh, W.L. Jr., Geissinger, W.T.: Mucus gland adenoma of the bronchus. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 67, 966–968 (1974)
Azzopardi, J.G., Smith, O.D.: Salivary gland tumours and their mucins. J. Path. Bact. 77, 131–140 (1959)
Billroth, T.: Beobachtungen über Geschwülste der Speicheldrüsen. Arch. Path. Anat. 17, 357–375 (1859)
Bryson, C.C., Spencer, H.: Carcinoma of the bronchus. A clinical and pathological survey of 866 cases. Quart. J. Med. 20 N.S. 173–187 (1951)
Cann, R.J.: Basal celled carcinoma of the trachea, a report of two cases. Guy's Hosp. Rep. 88, 392–402 (1938)
Dowling, E.A., Miller, R.E., Johnson, I.M., Collier, F.C.D.: Mucoepidermoid tumours of the bronchi. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 52, 600–609 (1962)
Doyle, L.E., Lynn, J.A., Panopio, I.T., Crass, G.: Ultrastructure of the chondroid regions of benign mixed tumor of salivary gland. Cancer 22, 225–233, 1968
Foster-Carter, A.F.: Bronchial adenoma. Quart. J. Med. 10 N.S. 139–174 (1941)
Gilman, R.A., Klassen, K.P., Scarpelli, D.C.: Mucous gland adenoma of bronchus — report of case with histochemical study of secretion. Am. J. Clin. Path. 26, 151–154 (1956)
Goldman, A., Conner, C.L.: Benign tumours of the lungs with special reference to adenomatous bronchial tumours. Dis. Chest 17, 644–680 (1950)
Hamperl, H.: Über gutartige Bronchialtumoren (Cylindrome und Carcinoide) Virchows Arch. path. Anat. 300, 46–88 (1937)
Heilbrunn, A., Crosby, I.K.: Adenocystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the tracheo-bronchial tree. Chest 61, 145–149 (1972)
Hellweg, G., Ricken, D.: Über einen Muco-epidermoid-Tumor des Bronchus. Z. Krebsforsch. 62, 133–139 (1957)
Heschl, R.: Über ein Cylindrom der Lunge. Wien. Med. Wochenschr. 27, 385–390 (1877)
Holley, S.W.: Bronchial adenomas. Mil. Surgeon 99, 528–554 (1946)
Larson, R.E., Woolner, L.B., Payne, W.S.: Mucoepidermoid tumor of the trachea, Report of a case. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 50, 131–137 (1965)
Leschke, H.: Über schleimbildene Bronchusadenome. Virchows Arch. path. Anat. 330, 224–242 (1957)
McDonald, J.R., Moersch, H.J., Tinney, W.S.: Cylindroma of bronchus — report of 6 cases. J. Thorac. Surg. 14, 445–453 (1945)
Mallory, T.B. (Ed.): Case 35272 in case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital weekly clinico-pathological excercises. New Engl. J. Med. 241, 27–32 (1949)
Meckstroth, C.V., Davidson, H.B., Kress, G.O.: Muco-epidermoid tumor of the bronchus. Dis. Chest 40, 652–656 (1961)
Ozlu, C., Christopherson, W.M., Allen, J.D. Jr.: Muco-epidermoid tumors of the bronchus. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 42, 24–31 (1961)
Payne, W.S., Ellis, F.H. Jr., Woolner, L.B., Moersch, H.J.: The surgical treatment of cylindroma (adenoid cystic carcinoma) and muco-epidermoid tumors of the bronchus. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 38, 709–726 (1959)
Ramsey, J.H., Reimann, D.L.: Bronchial adenomas arising in mucous glands. Illustrative case. Am. J. Path. 29, 339–352 (1953)
Reichle, F.A., Rosemond, G.P.: Mucoepidermoid tumors of the bronchus. Surgery 51, 443–448 (1966)
Reid, J.D.: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (cylindroma) of bronchial tree. Cancer 5, 685–694 (1952)
Seifert, G., Donath, K.: Classification of the Pathohistology of diseases of the salivary glands. Review of 2,600 cases in the salivary gland register. Beiträge Path. 159, 1–32 (1976)
Smetana, H.F., Iverson, L., Swan, L.L.: Bronchogenic carcinoma — analysis of 100 autopsy cases. Mil. Surgeon 111, 335–351 (1952)
Spencer, H.: Thesis for the Ph. D. degree of the University of London, case 4, 1954
Spencer, H.: Pathology of the lung. 3rd Ed. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1977
Stewart, F.W., Foote, F.W., Becker, W.F.: Muco-epidermoid tumors of salivary glands. Ann. Surg. 122, 820–844 (1945)
Thackray, A.C., Lucas, R.B.: Tumors of the major salivary glands. Atlas of tumor pathology, Second series, Fac. 10. Washington: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology 1974
Weinberger, M.A., Katz, S., Davis, E.W.: Peripheral bronchial adenoma of mucous gland type. Clinical and pathologic aspects. J. Thorac. Surg. 29, 626–635 (1955)
Weiss, L., Ingram, M.: Adenomatoid bronchial tumors. Cancer 14, 161–178 (1961)
Wilkins, E.W. Jr., Darling, R.C., Soutter, L., Sniffen, R.C.: A continuing clinical survey of adenomas of the trachea and bronchus in a general hospital. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 46, 279–291 (1963)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Professor E. Uehlinger on the occasion of his 80th birthday
The author wishes to thank all those pathologists who referred many of these cases over a period of years and without whose help the survey of these rare tumours would not have been possible.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Spencer, H. Bronchial mucous gland tumours. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 383, 101–115 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427013
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427013