title: Immunohistochemical staining for ferritin in neuroblastomas.
abstract: Immunohistochemical staining for ferritin was examined in 35 neuroblastomas from 27 children and compared with serum ferritin levels. All but two of the patients presented with advanced (stages III and IV) disease, and the adrenal was the most common primary site (20/27, 74%). Immunostaining was positive in only one of 14 tumour biopsies taken at the time of diagnosis (7%), but eight of 21 neuroblastomas (38%) marked for ferritin after chemotherapy. No consistent association was established between tumour- and serum-associated ferritins in the untreated or treated groups. Ferritin staining in treated neuroblastomas was usually more marked in partly differentiated tumour cells. The increased frequency of ferritin positive neuroblastomas after chemotherapy appeared to be associated with large local accumulations of ferritin and haemosiderin within the treated tumours, and (probably) with the blood transfusions which these children received.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pathology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, UK.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Corbett
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006680:HLA Antigens; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009418:S100 Proteins; D005293:Ferritins; D006485:Hemosiderin; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase