Neuroendocrine tumors of the nasal cavity: an ultrastructural and morphometric study of 24 cases.
A series of 24 small cell nasal tumors with neuroendocrine differentiation was studied by electron microscopy, and the numbers of secretory granules and cell junctions were assessed. To investigate the relationship between the extent of dendrite formation and the behavior of the tumors, the size of the tumor cells and the area occupied by dendritic processes were determined for each tumor by morphometric analysis performed on low-magnification electron micrographs. A positive correlation was demonstrated between the dendritic area index and the survival of the patients (P = 0.017). Neither the number of secretory granules nor the frequency of cell junctions was prognostically significant.
Lloreta-Trull
J
J
Department of Pathology, University Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
Mackay
B
B
Troncoso
P
P
Ribalta-Farres
T
T
Smith
T
T
Khorana
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003712:Dendrites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity; D018241:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*