title: Apoptosis and cytologic differentiation in hepatocellular carcinoma on fine needle aspiration samples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate possible alterations of the mechanisms leading to apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma by studying bcl-2 expression on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) samples using immunocytochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on a series of 84 hepatocarcinomas aspirated under ultrasound guidance. A Papanicolaou-stained smear for each case was destained and restained for bcl-2 by using the immunoperoxidase technique. bcl-2 Expression was then correlated with cytologic grading and the size of the tumor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 16 cases (19%), bcl-2 immunostaining gave a specific cytoplasmic signal. Fourteen of these positive cases were well differentiated, and two were pleomorphic tumors. Six positive cases were smaller than 5 cm, 3 were larger than 5 cm, and 7 were diffuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant percentage of hepatocellular carcinomas produce and accumulate bcl-2 protein in cell cytoplasm. bcl-2 Expression can be detected on destained cytologic smears. bcl-2 Expression seems to correlate with the cytologic degree of differentiation but not with the size of the tumor.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory and Cytopathology Service, Institute of Pathology, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zeppa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benincasa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fulciniti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cochand-Priollet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Troncone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vetrani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celentano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palombini
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2