The peripheral lung mass seen here in a smoker (note the centrilobular emphysema) proved to be a large cell anaplastic carcinoma. This particular type of bronchogenic carcinoma is poorly differentiated, without light microscopic features of either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. From a treatment standpoint, it is still a "non-small cell" carcinoma (like adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) for which the stage is the most important determinant of prognosis.

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