Chromogranin A expression correlates with tumour cell type and prognosis in signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) using chromogranin A (CgA) as an indicator of a well-differentiated NE phenotype and to determine its relationship to cell type, stage and prognosis.


RESULTS
102 SRCCs were categorized into five subtypes according to the predominant cell type in the World Health Organization classification. 38 cases (37.3%) showed focal or diffuse CgA positivity. The positive cells were mostly histiocytoid and eosinophilic SRCC cells and some were classical SRCC cells. Small cell and anaplastic-type SRCC cells were only rarely immunopositive. There was no significant relationship between CgA expression and the extent of invasion or presence of metastasis. However, a significant positive correlation existed between CgA positivity and favourable prognosis, with a tendency for greater positivity to be associated with better overall survival. Multivariate analysis showed expression of CgA to be an independent prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
CgA expression is restricted to certain tumour cell types and may help to predict prognosis in gastric SRCCs.
Fujiyoshi
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Nagoya City University, School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. yfuji@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Eimoto
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053379:Chromogranin A