Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast.

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast is rare-only about 30 cases have been reported in literature. Immunohistochemical examination showing expression of chromogranin and/or synaptophysin confirms evidence of neuroendocrine differentiation. Usually foci of neuroendocrine differentiation can be seen in breast carcinoma and are reported to be present in about 2-5% of breast cancer cases. Here, we report a case of breast carcinoma in which most of the areas studied on the tissue section showed neuroendocrine differentiation.

Extrapulmonary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Liver: Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Findings

Patients with primary small cell carcinoma of the liver have rarely been described in medical literature. Knowledge of clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical properties remains limited. We described an 82-year-old female patient with primary small cell carcinoma of the liver. Histologically, the tumor showed typical morphology of a pulmonary small cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor revealed neuroendocrine differentiation; positive reaction for chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD56, and neuron specific enolase. The tumor was also positive for TTF-1 and c-kit but completely negative for hepatocyte, carcinoembryonic antigen, cytokeratin 7; 19; and 20. Herein, we discussed the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical findings of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma of the liver and reviewed the relevant literature.

An immunohistochemical study of the gastrointestinal endocrine cells in the ddY mice

The distributions and frequencies of some endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of ddY mice were studied with immunohistochemical method using 7 types of antisera against bovine chromogranin (BCG), serotonin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK)-8, somatostatin, glucagon and human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP). All of 7 types of immunoreactive (IR) cells were identified. Most of IR cells in the intestinal portion were generally spherical or spindle in shape (open typed cell) while cells showing round in shape (close typed cell) were found in the intestinal gland and stomach regions occasionally. Their relative frequencies were varied according to each portion of GI tract. BCG-IR cells were demonstrated throughout whole GI tract except for the cecum and they were most predominant in the fundus and pylorus. Serotonin-IR cells were detected throughout whole GI tract and they were most predominant cell types in this species of mice. Gastrin-IR cells were restricted to the pylorus and CCK-8-IR cells were demonstrated in the pylorus, duodenum and jejunum with numerous frequencies in the pylorus. Somatostatin-IR cells were detected throughout whole GI tract except for the cecum and rectum and they showed more numerous frequencies in the stomach regions. In addition, glucagon-IR cells were restricted to the fundus, duodenum and jejunum with rare frequencies, and HPP-IR cells were restricted to the rectum only with rare frequency. In conclusion, some strain-dependent unique distributional patterns of gastrointestinal endocrine cells were found in GI tract of ddY mice.

Carcinoma neuroendocrino de próstata / Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate

Small cell of undifferenciated tumors are present in almost all organs, and it impose the need of performing a differential diagnosis between undifferenciated tumors with residual differentiation according to the type of organ, and the carcinoma of small cells of neuroendocrine origin. The concept of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in the prostatic adenocarcinoma has reached considerable attention due to its prognostic and therapeutic implies. Here it is presented a new neuroendocrine prostatic carcinoma case taking care of its hystopathologic diagnosis and evolution.

Los tumores indiferenciados de células pequeñas pueden ser encontrados prácticamente en todos los órganos, imponiendo la necesidad de realizar el diagnóstico diferencial entre tumores indiferenciados con diferenciación residual según el tipo de órgano y el carcinoma de células pequeñas de origen neuroendocrino. El concepto de diferenciación neuroendocrina (DNE) en el adenocarcinoma de próstata ha recibido recientemente considerable atención debido a sus implicancias pronosticas y terapéuticas. Se presenta un nuevo caso de carcinoma neuroendocrino de próstata con consideraciones sobre su diagnóstico histopatológico y su evolución.

Paragangliomas of the head and neck: clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical aspects

CONTEXT: Protein marker positivity can assist in the definition of the therapeutic approach towards head and neck paragangliomas. The establishment of the therapeutic approach should incorporate the results of such an investigation. OBJECTIVE: To establish criteria for benignancy and malignancy of vagal and jugular-tympanic paragangliomas, via the study of the relationships of sex, age, tumor size, duration of complaints, site, family history, presence of metastases, treatment, histological architecture and cell type with the immunohistochemical reactions to S100 protein, chromogranin and AgKi67. DESIGN: A retrospective study of histological and clinical records. SETTING: The Heliópolis and Oswaldo Cruz tertiary general hospitals, Säo Paulo. SAMPLE: 8 cases of head and neck paragangliomas. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Determination of degree of positivity to paragangliomas via immunohistochemical reactions. RESULTS: 1). The protein markers for the principal cells (AgKi67 and chromogranin) were sensitive in 100 percent of the tumors when used together. 2). S100 protein was well identified in the cytoplasm and nucleus of sustentacular cells and underwent reduction in the neoplasias. CONCLUSIONS: Chromogranin was proven to be a generic marker for neuroendocrine tumors; S100 protein was positive in all 8 cases and the AgKi67 had low positivity in all cases