title: Endocrine and tumor differentiation markers in poorly differentiated small-cell carcinoids of the cervix and vagina.
abstract: Immunoreactivity for endocrine peptides (serotonin, gastrin, somatostatin, insulin, corticotropin, calcitonin, neurotensin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and bombesin), cytoskeletal proteins (high and low molecular weight keratins), and tumor differentiation markers (chromogranin, neuron-specific enolase, carcinoembryonic antigen, S100 protein, and Grimelius stain) was sought on nine cervical and one vaginal poorly differentiated small-cell carcinoids. Dense-core secretory granules were ultrastructurally identified in all cases (seven of ten) in which tissue was available for electron microscopy. Immunoreactivity for endocrine secretory products was rarely noted, and only in a minority cell population (serotonin in two of ten). The majority of the tumors exhibited immunoreactivity for low molecular weight keratin (AE1/AE3 in eight of ten; CAM 5.2 in seven of nine), and three of ten tumors focally expressed high molecular weight keratin. Among the markers of neuroendocrine differentiation, neurospecific enolase was more frequently expressed (ten of ten) than chromogranin (five of ten) or argyrophilia (three of ten). Carcinoembryonic antigen was present in eight of ten tumors. S100 protein was absent in all cases. In summary, poorly differentiated small-cell carcinoids of the lower female genital tract, similarly to other small-cell endocrine tumors, occasionally exhibit focal glandular and squamoid differentiation, and only relatively infrequently or focally express immunohistochemically detectable endocrine secretory products, chromogranin, and argyrophilia.
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D002864:Chromogranins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D043182:Carboxylesterase