CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 33, 172-179, Copyright
© 1983 by American Cancer Society
On Lymphoepithelial Tumors
Alexander Schmincke
Thus, in my opinion, not only are these tumors under discussion a special class of branchiogenic tumors characterized by their morphology, and for that reason merit special mention, but also they exhibit clinical behavior that warrants attention as well.
As the case histories demonstrate, these tumors can to a large extent be treated successfully by irradiation. It seems permissible to relate this to an embryonic character of the tumor cells, since the special sensitivity to radiation of young embryonic tissue is well known.
Oncological considerations speak for the embryonic character of the tumor cells in our cases. The formation of branchiogenic organs takes place at an early stage in the life of the embryo, around the end of the first or the beginning of the second month. However, we must assume a dysontogenetic formation of our tumors, and their oncological termination period would thus be correspondingly early.
