Recently, fundic gland type gastric adenocarcinoma (GA-FG) has been reported as a new entity. This report describes GA-FG among Koreans for the first time. From March 2008 to July 2010 we identified only three cases of GA-FG out of over 6,000 GAs resected by endoscopy or surgery. Cell differentiation by mucin proteins, pepsinogen-I, and H+/K+-ATPase was evaluated. All three cases were male patients and diagnosed as early stage GA. Histologically, GA-FGs were well-differentiated adenocarcinoma with pale gray-blue, basophilic columnar or cuboidal cells and mildly enlarged nuclei, resembling chief cells. All three cases were positive for pepsinogen-I and were classified as gastric mucin phenotype. Among three histologic subtypes of GA-FG, since tumors were mainly composed of chief cells, our three cases were classified as chief cell predominant type. In conclusion, GA-FG is very rare among Koreans and pepsinogen-I and MUC6 expression are typical immunohistochemical findings in GA-FG suggesting differentiation toward fundic glands.
Citations
Metaplastic thymoma (MT), accepted in the World Health Organization 2004 scheme, is a circumscribed tumor of the thymus exhibiting biphasic morphology. We herein describe the clinicopathologic features of four MTs and the differential diagnoses of this unusual tumor. There were three women and one man with mean age of 49.5 years. The patients were found to have mediastinal masses, and underwent surgical excision. One exhibited symptoms of myasthenia gravis, and the serum titer for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody was positive. Grossly, the tumors were encapsulated, and showed vaguely multinodular, solid, tan-white to yellow cut surfaces. Histologically, they comprised epithelial islands intertwining with bundles of delicate spindle cells. The patients remained well after surgical excision at 5-55 months. Because of the distinctive histological appearance and benign clinical course, MT should be distinguished from other more aggressive mediastinal neoplasms displaying biphasic feature.
Citations
Citations