Chapter 403 Pulmonary Tumors
Etiology
Primary tumors of the lung are rare in children and adolescents. An accurate estimate of frequency is difficult because the literature is limited primarily to case reports and case series. A high incidence of “inflammatory pseudotumors” further clouds the statistics. Bronchial adenomas (including bronchial carcinoid, adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinomas) are the most common primary tumors; bronchial carcinoid tumors represent ≈ 80%. Carcinoids are low-grade malignancies; carcinoid syndrome is rare in children. Metastatic lesions are the most common forms of pulmonary malignancy in children; primary processes include Wilms tumor, osteogenic sarcoma, and hepatoblastoma (Part XXII). Adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated histology are the most common pathologic findings in primary lung cancer; pulmonary blastoma is rarer and frequently occurs in the setting of cystic lung disease. Mediastinal involvement with lymphoma is more common than primary pulmonary malignancies.

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