Pulmonary cytology: Pearls and pitfalls of non-neoplastic mimics of lung cancer

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with cytologic samples often serving as the primary diagnostic tool. However, differentiating between benign and malignant processes in lung cytology can be difficult because various non-neoplastic conditions closely resemble malignant lesions, which may lead to misdiagnosis. This review offers nine essential tips to help cytopathologists prevent false-positive diagnoses of malignancy in non-neoplastic processes. By examining common non-neoplastic entities that can mimic lung malignancies, this review emphasizes their key cytomorphologic features and distinguishing characteristics. The authors stress the importance of a thorough clinical and radiologic context, slide background evaluation, and identification of cytomorphologic features for an accurate diagnosis of these mimics. The objective of this review was to enhance diagnostic accuracy and prevent misdiagnosis, thereby improving patient management in lung cancer cytopathology.