Carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) in gastric adenocarcinomas. Morphologic patterns and their relationship to a histogenetic classification.
The presence of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) was studied in 92 consecutive cases of gastric adenocarcinoma, using the two-layer conjugated immunoperoxidase technique. Three characteristic patterns of CEA localization were identified. Type I: Intracytoplasmatic granules covering the entire cytoplasm of the malignant cells. Type II. Linear or granular deposits along the glycocalyx or in the apical cytoplasm of the malignant cells. Type III: Tumour cells negative for CEA or only showing a very weak reaction in a few cells. These CEA patterns were significantly related to the histogenetic classification of gastric adenocarcinomas proposed by Mulligan & Rember. The majority of the "mucus cell carcinomas" showed the type I CEA pattern. "Intestinal cell carcinomas" predominantly showed the type II CEA pattern and the "pyloro-cardiac gland carcinomas" the type III CEA pattern. The significance of the CEA patterns in respect of the histogenetic classification is discussed.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002299:Cardia / Q000473:pathology; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011708:Pylorus / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen