Medical Specialties Commons^™

Diffuse Idiopathic Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia (Dipnech) To Carcinoid: Exploring The Link, Jacob D. Mcfadden Msii, Jeffrey P. Baliff Md

Department of Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Neuroendocrine cells (NECs) play important roles in normal lung development, autonomic regulation of lung function, and response to hypoxia or injury. They are located between the respiratory epithelium and the basement membrane of bronchi and bronchioles (below), often as single cells or small clusters.

NEC proliferation is a common pathologic occurrence, well established as a reactive response to chronic lung injury. Much less commonly, NEC proliferation is observed in the absence of apparent inciting factors. This neoplastic phenomenon is termed “diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia” (DIPNECH).

DIPNECH is recognized as a precursor lesion for carcinoid tumors. While the progression …