Fig. 5

The H&E stain and representative PTC phenotypes of PTNB specimens in SCLC and ACC lung metastases patients. a, b. A 49-year-old male patient had a giant mass in the upper lobe of the left lung and enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, with the tumor subtype of SCLC. CT-guided PTNB was performed to obtain specimens for PTC culture. c. Sheets of small round to fusiform cells were observed in the H&E stain, with scant cytoplasm, hyperchromatic nuclei, inconspicuous nucleoli, and salt and pepper-like granular nuclear chromatin. d. PTC culture showed the clusters’ sizes range from 40 to 120 micrometers, and sporadically distributed. e, f. A 53-year-old female patient had multiple pulmonary metastases, with the tumor subtype of ACC. CT-guided PTNB was performed for the maximum lesions in the lower lobe of the right lung, to obtain specimens for PTC culture. g. The H&E stain showed the tumor consisted of ductal cells and myoepithelial cells. The tumor cells were in a cribriform growth pattern, and the microcysts contained an accumulation of blue or pink-colored material. h. PTC culture showed the cells constitute relatively large clusters, with a maximum diameter of up to 400 micrometers. The cell clusters are tightly packed, and vacuole-like cavities can be observed in some areas, which may contain mucous-like substances. PTC = Patient-derived tumor-like cell clusters. PTNB = Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy. SCLC = Small cell lung cancer. ACC = Adenoid cystic carcinoma. CT = Computed tomography