Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor.
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.
Yasoshima
H
H
Department of Pathology (Hospital), Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
Uematsu
K
K
Sakurai
K
K
Ueno
Y
Y
Hori
K
K
Kanazawa
N
N
Tanaka
T
T
Yamanaka
N
N
Okamoto
E
E
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