Vimentin and leukocyte common antigen-negative molding cells in pleural effusions of patients with small cell lung carcinoma.

Objective: To determine whether the presence of vimentin and leukocyte common antigen (LCA)-negative molding cells (VLNMC) could help in identifying rare small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells.

Study Design: Thirty-four cell blocks of pleural effusions (PEs) from 26 patients with confirmed SCLC were stained immunohistochemically with vimentin and LCA antibodies and compared with hematoxylin and eosin-stained preparations.

Results: VLNMC were present in 22/22 PEs originally diagnosed as positive or atypical/suspicious for SCLC.

Loss of heterozygosity of p53, BRCA1, VHL, and estrogen receptor genes in breast carcinoma: correlation with related protein products and morphologic features.

Correlation of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of p53, BRCA1, VHL, and estrogen receptor (ER) genes with the expression of related protein products and morphologic features predictive of aggressive biologic behavior was investigated to determine the significance of LOH in these genes. DNA from 35 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas was obtained by microdissection of histologic sections. LOH was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers TP53, D3S1038, D17S855, and ESR for p53, VHL, BRCA1, and ER genes, respectively.