What are the three principle types of ACC cells and why is it helpful to know what type of cells are in an ACC patient’s tumor?
Pathologists have identified three distinct types of ACC cells. They each have a different set of characteristics and have been named cribiform, tubular and solid. One of the common characteristics of an ACC tumor is that many times it will have a combination of two or even all three of these types of cells. This can complicate the diagnosis since the erratic patterns can be misdiagnosed as being a different type. The most common type of tumor histology is cribiform. There is some evidence from some of the larger medical studies that the solid type is a more agressive form of ACC causing an earlier mortality rate, but without more studies that is not an absolute fact yet. If a person is able to find out their histology type for their diagnosis this information may help determine the course of treatment, especially if there is a high percentage of the solid type. This information may lead to a more agressive treatment process being recommended. In order to be considered solid a tumor ne
