title: Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor.
abstract: A case of primary carcinoid tumor arising in the liver of a 69 year old woman with no endocrine symptoms is reported. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed initially as a hepatocellular carcinoma in the biopsy specimen, and was shown subsequently to be a carcinoid tumor, demonstrating diffuse positive staining with Grimelius method. Mucin stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), alcian-blue, and mucicarmine, and was shown partially in the glandular structures. Immunohistochemically, most of the tumor cells stained positively for chromogranin-A, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and neuron specific enolase (NSE). Ultrastructural examination revealed electron-dense core granules, measuring 40-120 nm in diameter in some of the tumor cells. Intensive and careful searches pre- and post-operatively revealed no other primary source of tumor other than the liver. The patient was reported well with no symptoms 3 1/2 years after the operation. This case is considered to be a primary hepatic carcinoid tumor. The recent literature is reviewed, and the possible histogenesis of hepatic carcinoid tumor is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology (Hospital), Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasoshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uematsu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron