"Atypical" medullary thyroid carcinoma with little or no calcitonin expression.
In a retrospective analysis of 142 medullary thyroid carcinomas, four sporadic cases with an unusual histological and immunohistochemical appearance were found. Three cases (two males, one female) had very few calcitonin-positive tumour cells, while the fourth case (male) completely lacked calcitonin immunoreactivity at both mRNA and protein levels, whereas a variety of neuroendocrine markers were positive in at least 50% of tumour cells. The four tumours were completely devoid of carcinoembryonic antigen expression and of amyloid. Differential diagnosis and histogenetic considerations are discussed.
Schmid
K W
KW
Department of Pathology, University of Munster/Westphalia, Münster, Germany. schmikw@uni-muenster.de
Ensinger
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D002116:Calcitonin