Unusual prostatic adenocarcinoma with endocrine basophilic FSH-immunoreactive cells.
We report an unusual variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma with marked endocrine differentiation (mixed endocrine-exocrine adenocarcinoma). Endocrine cells accounted for 60% of the tumour cells, were positive with silver impregnation and for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and neuron-specific enolase, and coexpressed the exocrine antigens prostatic acid phosphatase and prostatic-specific antigen. Most of the endocrine cells were basophilic with haematoxylin-eosin and proved immunoreactive for alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and follicle-stimulating hormone. The remaining endocrine cells were represented by eosinophilic cells positive for serotonin, and by calcitonin and serotonin-immunoreactive cells not identifiable in haematoxylin-eosin-stained sections. On ultrastructural analysis, two types of endocrine cells were identified. The most frequent cell type showed abundant cytoplasmic round, electron-dense neurosecretory granules, either small (212+/-44 nm) or large (471+/-114 nm), resembling those of gonadotropic pituitary cells. The second type of endocrine cells contained irregular electron-dense granules similar to those of serotonin-storing enterochromaffin cells.
Serio
G
G
U.O. Anatomia Patologica, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedale di Circolo di Busto Arsizio, Italy.
Zampatti
C
C
Rindi
G
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen