Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Article

Composite Adenocarcinoma and Choriocarcinoma of the Sigmoid Colon with Hepatic Metastasis of the Choriocarcinomatous Component.: Young Ha Oh, Won Mee Lee, Kyung Sook Kim, Moon Hyang Park, Jung Dal Lee; Korean J Pathol. 1997;31(8):788-793.

Abstract PDF: A rare case of hepatic metastasis with a choriocarcinomatous component from a composite adenocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon in a 60-year-old man is reported. The hepatic metastasis displayed choriocarcinoma with extensive hemorrhagic necrosis. The tumor cells were poorly differentiated with scattered foci of bizzare syncytiotrophoblastic cells. Retrospective examination of the previous colonic carcinoma proved that the tumor was composed of two distinctive elements. One was a moderately well differentiated adenocarcinoma located in mucosa and submucosa. The other was a deep seated and undifferentiated carcinoma which was made up of hyperchromatic bizzare cells with syncytiotrophoblastic cells. There were transitional foci from adenocarcinoma to undifferentiated carcinoma with trophoblastic cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed beta-hCG expression in the undifferentiated cells of both the primary and the metastatic tumors. Implications for the possible origin and cause of tumor cell heterogeneity are briefly discussed.

Case Reports

Choriocarcinoma of the Colon.: Youn Mee Kim, Mee Youn Cho, Soon Won Hong, Soon Hee Jung; Korean J Pathol. 1997;31(8):794-797.

Abstract PDF: Choriocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract is rare. Among them, that of the stomach is the most common. Six cases of choriocarcinoma of the colon were found in the review of the literature. All of these previously reported cases had multiple metastatic foci in the liver, lung, lymph nodes and the prognosis seemed to be very poor. Therefore we think that choriocarcinoma of the colon should be distinguished from conventional adenocarcinoma. A 66-year old female patient, described in this case, was operated on under the impression she was suffering from acute appendicitis. The resected ascending colon revealed extensive hemorrhagic necrosis and perforation with fibrous adhesion in the cecum. On the cut section, the mural tumorous thickening was not definite. Histologically, the tumor showed a focus of typical adenocarcinoma arising from glandular epithelial cells, which were transformed into highly anaplastic tumor cells. There were frequent vascular invasions of tumor cells, similar to syncytiotrophoblasts. In the immunohistochemical stains, both glandular and highly anaplastic tumor cells reacted with cytokeratin. The glandular cells were also reactive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and anaplastic tumor cells for human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). This is the first report of choriocarcinoma of the colon in Korea. We describe this case with a review of the literature.

Placental Site Trophoblastic Tumor(PSTT) with Vaginal Metastasis: A case report.: Yee Jeong Kim, Kyu Rae Kim, Soon Hee Jeong, Ho Geun Kim, Jang Yeon Kwon; Korean J Pathol. 1991;25(6):570-575.

Abstract PDF: PSTT has been established as a separate entity distinct from choriocarcinoma since 1983, because of its different morphological features, biologic behavior and response to chemotherapy. Most cases of PSTT have indolent clinical courses, but there have been several reports showing malignant behavior resulted in death of the patient. We report a case of PSTT showing vaginal metastatis. In biopsy specimen, it was difficult to make differential diagnosis from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix due to uniform and mononuclear cytologic characteristics. Immunohistochemical stains for hPL and hCG were not typical for either PSTT or choriocarcinoma. We suggest that poorly differentiated PSTT may synthesize the lesser amount of hPL than typical PSTT and it may behave more aggressively.

Original Article

Metastatic Embryonal Carcinoma of Testis: Aspiration Cytology of Cervical Lymph Node.: Jung Weon Shim, Hae Kyung Ahn, Il Hyang Ko; Korean J Pathol. 1990;24(1):91-94.

Abstract PDF: Embryonal carcinoma of testis may be composed of primitive cells with epithelial appearance showing prominent variation in size and shape, clear cytoplasm, overlapping nuclei. and many mitoses. Multiple lymph node enlargement was noticed in a 45-year-old man with known huge testicular tumor, 20 x 15 cm, and clinically malignant lymphoma was suspected. Microscopic and cytologic finding of both biopsy and needle aspiration from neck lymph node disclosed highly undifferentiated large cells, mostly in solid sheets and often forming glandular spaces. Massive necrosis was observed. Cytologic diagnosis of embryonal carcinoma was made possible, relied on the result of immunohistochemistry that revealed negative LCA, and positive cytokeratin and CEA as well as the cytologic features. Serum levels of HCG and AFP of the patient, in addition, were markedly elevated.

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