Small cell carcinoma of the cervix in liquid-based Pap test: utilization of split-sample immunocytochemical and molecular analysis.

Small cell (neuroendocrine) carcinoma of the uterine cervix (SMCC) is a rare, highly aggressive malignant neoplasm. Both conventional and liquid-based cytology (LBC) cervical smears have low sensitivity in diagnosing SMCC, requiring immunocytochemical (ICH) confirmation. We present the first series of SMCC primarily diagnosed in cytology specimens, and ICH studies performed on the residual LBC specimens with subsequent confirmation of the diagnosis on surgical pathology specimens.

c-Kit expression in desmoid fibromatosis. Comparative immunohistochemical evaluation of two commercial antibodies.

To determine the frequency of c-Kit staining in desmoids and optimize an assay for clinical use, we stained 19 desmoids from various sites at various dilutions with 2 commonly used rabbit polyclonal, anti-c-Kit antibodies (A4502, DAKO, Carpinteria, CA; C-19, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA), with and without heat-induced epitope retrieval (HIER) in citrate buffer. Approdpriate external and internal control samples were evaluated for each test condition. At dilutions of 1:50 both antibodies stained substantial numbers of desmoids: with/without HIER, A4502, 89%/63%; C-19, 37%/74%.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma and its histological mimics: a comparative immunohistochemical study.

Aims: Differentiating sarcomatoid mesothelioma from other pleural-based spindle cell tumours by light microscopy can be challenging, especially in a biopsy. The role of immunohistochemistry in this differential diagnosis is not as well defined as it is for distinguishing epithelioid mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma. In this study, we investigate the utility of diagnostic immunohistochemistry for distinguishing sarcomatoid mesothelioma from its histological mimics, high-grade sarcoma and pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Fas and Fas ligand expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) mediate apoptosis of tumor cells in immune surveillance, and expression of FasL by tumors may mediate their counterattack on cytotoxic lymphocytes. Both proteins are expressed in most if not all pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, but their study in primary human tumors has been limited.

Aim: We performed Fas and FasL immunohistochemical staining on 81 primary pancreaticobiliary or ampullary ductal adenocarcinomas of patients in our institutional database to determine the extent and strength of staining.