Characterization of scattered neuroendocrine cells in ductal carcinoma of the pancreas.
BACKGROUND
Scattered neuroendocrine cells, identified by chromogranin A (CGA) immunoreactivity, have been observed in pancreatic ductal carcinomas, accounting for <1% of the entire tumor cell population.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the characteristics of scattered CGA-positive cells, the differentiation markers for the cells of epithelial origin (cytokeratin [CK] 19) and of endocrine origin (CGA) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescent staining.


RESULTS
Some of these CGA-positive cells scattered amid malignant cells also express CK19, suggesting that they are neuroendocrine-differentiated carcinoma cells. However, scattered CGA-positive cells, mostly located at the basal and/or outer portions of malignant ducts, did not express CK19, indicating that these cells are probably entrapped endocrine cells. Examination of the lymph node metastases for CGA in 19 patients showed no staining with CGA, suggesting that neuroendocrine-differentiated tumor cells have a different behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study did not show any clinical significance of these scattered neuroendocrine cells.
Tezel
Ekmel
E
Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. ekmeltezel@yahoo.com
Nagasaka
Tetsuro
T
Tezel
Gaye
G
Nakao
Akimasa
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins