title: Gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.
abstract: Extraskeletal neoplasms with osteoclast-like giant cells are uncommon. These tumors are most frequently reported in the breast and pancreas, and are relatively rare in other sites. We report a case of primary gastric adenocarcinoma with an infiltrate of osteoclast-like giant cells. The patient is a 64-yr-old black woman who presented with epigastric pain and was found to have a mass in the gastric antrum. Histological examination showed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with an infiltrate of osteoclast-like giant cells. The giant cells were present both in the primary gastric adenocarcinoma and in the lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemical stains demonstrated that the giant cells were of monocytic/histiocytic origin and probably represent a distinctive host response to the tumor. The patient is alive and well 12 months after resection. This is the second published report of gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. Based on this limited experience, gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells may represent a distinct clinicopathological entity with a more favorable prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, USA.
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Baschinsky
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Niemann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery