title: [Simultaneous production of amylase and adrenocorticotropin by lung cancer--with special reference to electron microscopic and immunohistochemical studies].
abstract: The tumor tissue from a lung cancer patient who showed elevated serum amylase and adrenocorticotropin was investigated ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically. On microscopic examination, the tumor was diagnosed as small-cell carcinoma. Electron microscopy revealed that some of the tumor cells possessed small endocrine-like dense cored granules. The tumor cells also contained large zymogen-like granules within the cytoplasm, which possessed microvilli and formed the lumen, indicating their adenocarcinomatous differentiation. An electrophoretic analysis of the serum amylase showed that the major amylase elevated was of the salivary type. Immunohistochemical staining by the antihuman salivary amylase antibody disclosed that various portions of the tumor actually contained the salivary amylase. The evidence suggests that the small-cell carcinoma cells showed "confused differentiation", thereby expressing amylase and ACTH simultaneously.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000681:Amylases