title: Pulmonary gangliocytic paraganglioma: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Gangliocytic paraganglioma (GP) is a rare histologic type of neuroendocrine tumors. We report a case of pulmonary GP in a 29-year-old male presenting with an asymptomatic endobronchial nodule. Grossly, the tumor showed a 4.0x3.8x3.5 cm well-defined nodule with yellowish cut surface. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of three distinct cellular types: epithelioid cells, ganglion-like cells and spindle cells. Meanwhile, transitional cells, having morphologic features between ganglion-like and epithelioid cells, were also presented. The epithelioid cells arranged in various morphologic architectures, including Zellballen, papillary, cystic and microcystic pattern. The epithelioid cells were positive for AE1/AE3, CAM 5.2, chromogranin A and synaptophysin. Ganglion-like cells showed immunoreactivity for chromogranin A and synaptophysin. A few ganglion-like cells were also positive for AE1/AE3 and/or CAM 5.2. The spindle cells were positive for S-100 protein and neurofilament. The transitional cells showed a similar immunohistochemical profile to the epithelioid cells. The authors believe stem cell theory is a reasonable explanation for the origin of GP. GP probably originate from some kind of mucosa associated stem cell which can differentiate into diverse cellular lineages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Dongliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yanjiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention Care, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yujun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Fenggang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Gangliocytic paraganglioma; bronchial; histogenesis; histomorphology; immunohistochemistry