Cytosolic Levels of Neuron-Specific Enolase in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Lung

An infiltrative variant of non-neural granular cell tumor: a case report

Dermal non-neural granular cell tumors are rare tumors of indeterminate lineage that typically present as well-circumscribed tumors with nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic activity. We describe a dermal non-neural granular cell tumor with a distinctive growth pattern with granular cells interspersed between collagen bundles. This asymptomatic papule arose on the scapula of a 46-year-old woman and consisted of a mixture of epithelioid and spindled granular cells. The immunohistochemical characteristics were similar to those of previously reported dermal non-neural granular cell tumors. Despite mild nuclear pleomorphism and dispersion of lesional cells among collagen bundles, mitoses were not present and Ki-67 staining indicated a low proliferative rate. In addition to being S-100 protein negative and NKI/C3 positive, our case was positive for PGP9.5 and weakly positive for neuron-specific enolase, a staining pattern similar to what has been observed for cellular neurothekeomas. Our case could represent a dermal non-neural granular cell tumor with unique architecture, a granular cellular neurothekeoma or a granular cell dermatofibroma. As both dermal non-neural granular cell tumor and cellular neurothekeoma are of indeterminate lineage, our case with features characteristic of both entities may suggest a common precursor or lineage for dermal non-neural granular cell tumor and cellular neurothekeoma.

Neuron-specific enolase and lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in lung cancer have been investigated widely; however, their diagnostic values have not yet been clarified. The authors investigated the diagnostic validity of NSE in BALF and serum in lung cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this prospective case-control study, NSE levels in BALF (B-NSE) and serum (S-NSE) of 3 groups of subjects were analyzed: control subjects (group 1, n = 15), patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; group 2, n = 15), and lung cancer (group 3, n = 35).

RESULTS

The differences in S-NSE and B-NSE levels between the groups were not significant (P > 0.05). S-NSE and B-NSE levels did not show any difference between smokers and nonsmokers, small cell lung cancer and nonsmall cell lung cancer patients, and stage I-II and stage III-IV patients in group 3 (P > 0.05). B-NSE or B-NSE/urea did not show any significance in comparison with S-NSE in the diagnosis and/or staging of malignancy (P > 0.05). S-NSE and B-NSE were well correlated with each other (r = 0.84, P = 0.000). The sensitivity of the S-NSE was 60% and the specificity was 40%.

CONCLUSION

The authors conclude that, although elevation of B-NSE is a well-known parameter in small cell lung cancer, it can also be elevated considerably in nonsmall cell lung cancer and COPD. Because of the significant correlation between S-NSE and B-NSE, it may be sufficient to measure S-NSE activity because it is easier and less invasive. However, NSE has no role in the exact diagnosis of lung cancer; it can only be investigated in a scientific setting.

Role of Immunohistochemistry in the Diagnosis and Progression of Follicular Epithelium-Derived Thyroid Carcinoma

Thyroid carcinoma derived from the thyroid hormone-producing follicular epithelium is the most common thyroid malignancy. While the morphologic diagnosis of conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma is simple, thyroid tumors with a follicular pattern are sometimes a diagnostic challenge. It is in the latter group of thyroid neoplasms that ancillary diagnostic tests such as immunohistochemistry may be of great help. Furthermore, while most differentiated thyroid carcinomas have an excellent prognosis, a subset of these tumors may progress to a poorly or undifferentiated phenotype indicating an aggressive biologic behavior that may lead to systemic spread and death. Application of immunohistochemistry to identify a subset of thyroid carcinoma that may progress to a biologically aggressive phenotype may help in the management of patients with thyroid carcinoma. This review discusses the role of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis and progression of thyroid carcinoma is discussed.

[Cytosolic pS2 levels and cellular proliferation in ER-positive and PgR-positive infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast]

OBJECTIVE

The trefoil factor 1 (TFF1/pS2) is an estrogen-induced molecule in breast tumours. We wanted to study its expression in ER+ and PgR+ infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast (IDCs), and to correlate it with other clinical-biological parameters and the outcome.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cytosolic pS2 levels were measured using an IRMA (CIS. Biointernational. France) in 170 tumors. Likewise we determined the cytosolic levels of cathepsin D and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), as well as the concentrations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), erbB2 oncoprotein, CD44v5 and CD44v6 on cell surfaces. Also the tumour size, histological grade (HG), axillary lymph node involvement, distant metastasis, ploidy, DNA index and of cellular synthesis phase (SP) was taken in account.

RESULTS

The pS2-positive (> 5 ng/mg prot.) tumours showed higher concentrations of cathepsin D (p: 0.0043) and t-PA (p: 0.0089) than the pS2-negative ones. Likewise, they were less frequently HG3 (p: 0.0231), SP > 7 % (p: 0.0005) and SP > 14% (p:0.0014). During the follow-up time (r: 1-147; 50,1+/-31,7; median 37 months) the pS2-positive tumors showed a less number of recurrences (5/101 vs 6/69; p: 0.059) but not of deaths by the tumor (1/101 vs 2/69).

CONCLUSIONS

These results support an inverse relationship between pS2 positivity and cellular proliferation in IDCs and suggest a new role of this protein (different of the hormone dependence) in the biology of these breast carcinomas, while further studies will be required to establish the impact of this finding on their outcome.