Carbohydrate-rich tissue components in lung cancer and in normal bronchial tissues: a histochemical study

Abstract

The carbohydrate-rich compounds in bronchopulmonary neoplasms and in non-neoplastic tissue have been characterized histochemically. Glycogen was present in few epidermoid and large-cell carcinomas. Epithelial mucosubstances were produced by adeno-, mucoepidermoid, and large-cell carcinomas. The mucosubstances produced by carcinoma cells had characteristics different from those occurring in normal tissue. The most striking characteristic was the presence of a sialidase-labile compound in certain neoplasms. Hyaluronic acid was present in the stroma of the carcinomas. In a third of the cases studied, chondroitin sulphates were also present. Higher sulphated compounds were observed as well. This stromal reaction was correlated with the occurrence of a round cell reaction, but not with mast cells. This was considered to indicate the production of stromal material and fibres, but it can also explain the high levels of carbohydrate-rich substances in serum and urine in cases where neoplastic tissue itself does not produce such substances. It also agrees with the theory of carbohydrate-rich compounds acting as a ‘barrier’ preventing immunological reactions against neoplastic cells.