title: Human chorionic gonadotropin in esophageal carcinomas. An immunohistochemical study.
abstract: We have examined immunohistochemically the presence of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in 29 esophageal carcinomas: 24 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 adenocarcinomas, 2 adenoid cystic carcinomas and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma. In hCG-positive tumors, the presence of human placental lactogen (hPL) and pregnancy-specific beta-1 glycoprotein (SP-1) was also assessed. HCG immunoreactive cells were found in 5 squamous cell carcinomas (21%) and in none of 5 non-squamous cell tumors. The hCG positive cells were found in the most infiltrating areas of the tumors where poorly differentiated and pleomorphic cells predominated. The positive tumors were 4 poorly differentiated (31%) and one moderately differentiated carcinoma (12%). Four out of 10 cases (40%) with lymph node metastases had hCG in the primary tumor, whereas only one out of 11 cases (9%) without metastases was hCG positive. HPL and SP-1 were found in two cases. These placental proteins were detected in similar areas than hCG but the number of hPL and SP-1 immunoreactive cells was lower than hCG positive cells. SP-1 was also seen in areas of squamous cell differentiation negative for hCG. None of these two cases showed trophoblastic differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital de Bellvitge Princeps d'Espanya, Hospital Clinico y Provincial de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Trias
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benasco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palacin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardesa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000737:chemistry; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000032:analysis; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011268:Pregnancy-Specific beta 1-Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011268:Pregnancy-Specific beta 1-Glycoproteins; D010928:Placental Lactogen