title: Primary Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Ureter: A Short Review.
abstract: Neuroendocrine tumors represent 0.05% of urinary tract malignancies, and most originate in the bladder. Their pathogenesis is debated, since ureters are thought to lack neuroendocrine cells. Morphologically, most ureteral neuroendocrine tumors demonstrate the typical small cell neuroendocrine appearance, are immunohistochemically positive for synaptophysin/chromogranin A/CD56, and show electron-dense granules by electron microscopy. Clinical presentation is similar to that of other more common ureteral neoplasms. Prognosis is usually dismal, but a multimodal treatment approach including platinum-based adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy seems to be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: From Anatomic/Clinical Pathology (Dr Acosta) and Transdisciplinary Pathology (Dr Kajdacsy-Balla), University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital and Health Sciences System, Chicago.
authors.forename: Andres M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kajdacsy-Balla
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D014516:Ureteral Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D053379:Chromogranin A; D016708:Synaptophysin