Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Articles

Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Studies on the Histogenesis of Thyroid Undifferentiated Carcinoma.: Myoung Ja Jeong, Woo Sung Moon, Young Hye Lee, Myoung Jae Kang, Ho Yeul Choi, Sang Ho Kim, Dong Geun Lee; Korean J Pathol. 1995;29(6):756-765.

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Abstract PDF: Histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies were performed on 6 cases of undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma to study the histogenesis of the undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma, to determine the most useful markers for diagnosing these tumors and to investigate the nature of osteoclast-like giant cells rarely observed in these tumors. For the immuno-histochemical study, a panel of antibodies to epithelial (cocktailed keratin, low molecular weight keratin, CEA), mesenchymal(vimentin, desmin, actin, FVIIIRAg) endocrine(calcitonin, chromogranin), lymphocytic(LCA), histiocytic(alpha-l-ACT, alpha-1-AT, lysozyme, CD68), and Schwann cell(S-100 protein) markers were used. The following results were obtained; 1) Well differentiated carcinoma was associated with 2 cases of spindle cell type and 1 case of giant cell type of undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma and a transitional zone between the well differentiated and undifferentiated lesions was observed. 2) All of the examined cases expressed keratin, and 3 tumors expressed CEA. 3) All the mesenchymal markers, LCA, S-100 protein, calcitonin, and chromogranin were not expressed. Vimentin was coexpressed with keratin in 4 cases. 4) Osteoclast-like giant cells were observed in 1 case of spindle cell type. They expressed CD68 but not keratin. 5) Ultrastructural study revealed the desmosomes between the tumor cells and non-neoplastic, follicular, thyroid epithelial cells. The above results indicate that undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma originates from follicular epithelial cell, keratin is the most useful marker for diagnosis of this tumor, and the osteoclast-like giant cells are histiocytic in nature and reactive, rather than neoplastic.

Immunohistochemical Study of Primary Large Cell Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Lung.: Hye Seung Han, Jeong Wook Seo, Eui Keun Ham; Korean J Pathol. 1996;30(5):417-426.

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Abstract PDF: We performed a histopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 23 cases of surgically resected large cell undifferentiated carcinoma(LCUC) of the lung. The relative incidence of LCUC was 7.6% among the total resected cases of primary lung cancer over 7 years(1987-1993). The mean age of the patients was 56 years and 21 cases were male. The mean size of the mass was 5 cm and 11 cases were located peripherally. According to the histologic features, LCUC could be divided into three groups: squamous cell carcinoma-like(6 cases), adenocarcinoma-like(13 cases), and small cell carcinoma-like(4 cases) groups. The histologic differences were related to the variations of the immunohistochemical properties, but there were no differences in prognosis among these groups. Immunoreactivity to cytokeratin(CAM 5.2) was demonstrated in 22/23(96%). Carcinoembryonic antigen was positive in 13/23(57%). Neuron specific enolase and chromogranin were positive in 11/23(48%) and 5/23(22%), respectively. Vimentin was seen in 11/23(48%). From these observations, we could subclassify them by their immunologic phenotypes; exocrine features in 6/23(26%), neuroendocrine(NE) features in 4/23(17%), both exocrine and NE phenotypes in 7/23(30%), and 6 cases(26%) showed neither phenotype. The group with NE features showed a worse prognosis(P<0.05) and immunoreactivity for vimentin was also related to a worse prognosis(P<0.05). These findings imply that the immunohistochemical properties of LCUC are closely related to the histopathologic features. The groups, subdivided by histology and immunoreactivity, showed no prognostic difference except for the NE differentiation and reaction for vimentin.

Case Report

Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: A Case Report .: Mi Kyung Shin, Yang Seok Chae; Korean J Cytopathol. 1997;8(1):98-102.

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Abstract PDF: Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma(SNUC) is a distinct, relatively rare neoplasm arising in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses composed of undifferentiated epithelial cells and clinically characterized by a fulminant course. We report a case of SNUC in a 56-year old man who have had bilateral neck masses since one month ago before coming to our hospital. The paranasal computed tomography showed soft mass density in the left maxillary sinus and the nasal cavity with bone destruction in the anterior medial and the inferior maxillary sinus wall. This mass was extruded into the left orbital wall. Biopsy of the nasal mass and fine needle aspiration(FNA) of the neck mass were done. FNA revealed medium-sized neoplastic cells forming clusters or individually dispersed. Nuclei were round to oval, slightly to moderately pleomorphic, and hyperchromatic. Chromatin was finely granular, but occasionally was coarsely granular. Nucleoli varied from large to inconspicuous and the cytoplasm was scanty.

Original Article

Primary Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Endometrium with Small Cell and Trophoblastic Differentiation.: Chul Hwan Kim, Seoung Hye Park, In Sun Kim, Seung Yong Paik; Korean J Pathol. 1990;24(1):58-64.

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Abstract PDF: This report describes a very rare case of primary undifferentiated carcinoma of the endometrium with small cell and trophoblastic differentiation. The patient was 54-year-old woman with complaints of vaginal bleeding and palpable lower abdominal mass. The light microscopic findings revealed predominantly small cells with round nuclei, spindle cells, and large cells with hyperchromatic bizarre nuclei. Foci of syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells are scattered, especially in the hemorrhagic areas. Immunohistochemical stainging for neuron specific enolase and beta-hCG showed positive reactions to small cells and syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells, respectively. Argentaffin and argyrophil stains, however, showed negative reactions to small cells. The histogenesis of small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the endometrium remains unclear; however, it may arise from epithelial precursors instead of neuroendocrine cells, and syncytiotrophoblastic cells may be differentiated or dedifferentiated from the undifferentiated carcinoma cells.

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