Transbronchial biopsy in lymphangiomyomatosis of the lung. HMB45 for diagnosis.

Bonetti, F; Chiodera, P L; Pea, M; Martignoni, G; Bosi, F; Zamboni, G; Mariuzzi, G M · Am J Surg Pathol · 1993

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

We have investigated the presence of smooth muscle cells with immunoreactivity for melanoma-related marker HMB45 in pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis (PLAM). Of 75 lung specimens, including a variety of lesions (obtained with both transbronchial and open lung biopsies), only PLAM (six specimens from three patients) showed the presence of HMB45-positive cells. In addition, 20 specimens of normal lung were unreactive with this monoclonal antibody. It is concluded that the smooth muscle cells of PLAM regularly exhibit a peculiar phenotype, characterized by HMB45 immunoreactivity, distinct from other smooth muscle proliferations; and the histological diagnosis of PLAM can be made when only a transbronchial biopsy is available.

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