Argyrophilic, 'carcinoid-like' prostatic carcinoma. An immunocytochemical study.

Four cases of argyrophilic or carcinoid-like prostatic carcinoma were studied immunocytochemically, using immunoperoxidase stains for prostatic-specific antigen, neuron-specific enolase, hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), somatostatin, and adrenocorticotropic hormone. All four showed strong positive reaction to prostatic-specific antigen and uniformly negative results with neuron-specific enolase, hydroxytryptamine, somatostatin, and adrenocorticotropic hormone. These findings lend further support to the concept that this particular prostatic tumor is truly a carcinoma that somehow manifests a carcinoid-like histomorphology, but does not possess evidence of true neuroendocrine or carcinoidal nature.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting as malignant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade.

A case of malignant lymphoma, Rappaport histiocytic type, in which the initial clinical presentation was malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is presented. The pathogenesis of malignant pericardial effusion is discussed, and the value of cytology in the diagnosis of malignant pericardial effusion is emphasized.

The prognostic significance of histologic subtyping in small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Previously untreated patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL), who were treated at the Medical College of Wisconsin with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, were retrospectively subtyped according to the 1981 World Health Organization Lung Cancer Classification. Of 54 evaluated patients, 27 (50%) had "oat cell" subtype, 22 (41%) "intermediate cell" variety, and five (9%) were classified as "combined" type. There was no significant difference in response to therapy or median survival between the subtypes. In addition to the absence of prognostic significance among the subtypes, there were many technical factors affecting accuracy of subtyping, including tissue-crushing artifacts, size of biopsy materials, fixation of tissue samples, and variation of subtypes within the same biopsy. We conclude that subtyping of SCCL should not be construed as a prognostic tool or guideline to therapy. However, the recognition that SCCL may manifest in a variety of histologic patterns, some of which may be misinterpreted as a histology other than SCCL, is probably more important for choice of therapy and prognosis than the individual subtypes.

Cardiac tamponade due to malignant pericardial effusion in breast cancer: a case report.

Cardiac tamponade resulting from malignant pericardial effusion is an uncommon initial presentation of various extracardiac malignancies. Only twenty-nine cases of extracellular malignancies with this initial presentation have been previously published. Lung carcinoma leads as the most common malignancy involved, followed by carcinoma of the stomach, pancreas, kidney and ovary, mediastinal rhabdomyosarcoma, malignant lymphoma and leukemia. This report describes a case of breast carcinoma in a 47-year-old woman who initially presented with cardiac tamponade. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no similar case has even been reported in the literature.

Malignant-appearing cells in pleural effusion due to pancreatitis: case report and literature review.

Malignant-appearing mesothelial cells were noted in an amylase-rich pleural effusion caused by pancreatitis in the absence of any neoplastic disease. Such changes in the mesothelial cells are believed to be the result of intense irritation of the serosal surfaces by the pancreatic enzymes. Review of the literature showed a likelihood of false-positive cytologic diagnosis of 0.44% for pleural effusions and 0.91% for all serous effusions. Because of the potential for serious error in patient management based on a false-positive cytology, it is important to recognize the conditions that may be responsible for it.