In favour of an oncofoetal concept of bronchogenic carcinoma development.

Our recent studies in a heterotopic model of non-small cell lung cancer in dogs (subcutaneous bronchial autografts treated with 3-methylcholanthrene) have provided evidence that alveolar type II cells may newly arise during initial phases of bronchial carcino-genesis. In the light of these novel findings, which are in agreement with our observations in human non-small cell lung cancer, and in view of present insights into embryonic lung differentiation, we discuss evidence that favours a new, oncofoetal concept of bronchogenic carcinoma development. According to this concept, the primary cells of origin for these tumors are undifferentiated primordial-like cells that derive from bronchial epithelial cells present in major bronchi or their divisions by retrodifferentiation. Such primordial-like cells of origin undergo novel differentiation into the potential (alveolar, bronchial or primordial) tumor stem cells, which occupy the dividing cellular layers of the (pre)neoplastic lesions and constitute the actively dividing and invading part of the neoplasm. Examples of tumors that may originate from alveolar tumor stem cells are carcinomas of the bronchiolo-alveolar, papillary, acinar, and adenoid-cystic types. Squamous cell carcinomas could possibly belong to this group as well, but much more evidence is required to reach conclusions regarding this type of cancer. We suggest that epithelial retrodifferentiation followed by novel differentiation (oncofoetal mechanism) is fundamental in bronchial carcinogenesis.