Merkel cell carcinoma is the cutaneous counterpart of small cell carcinoma, and the most important differential diagnosis is cutaneous metastasis of small cell carcinoma of the lung. There have been a handful of studies reporting on the utility of a variety of immunohistochemical markers that distinguish between the two entities. Achaete-scute complex-like 1 (MASH1, ASCL1) is important in the development of the brain and the diffuse neuroendocrine system including pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. A recent study, using a cDNA array, identified Mash1 as one of the best classifier genes to differentiate pulmonary small cell carcinoma from Merkel cell carcinoma. We immunohistochemically applied this finding to the diagnostic setting. A total of 30 cases of Merkel cell carcinoma and 59 cases of small cell carcinoma of the lung were immunostained with anti-MASH1 and TTF-1 antibodies. Of 59 small cell carcinomas, 49 (83%) expressed MASH1 in nuclear staining whereas out of 59 small cell carcinomas, 43 (73%) expressed TTF-1 in nuclear staining. MASH1 was completely negative in all 30 Merkel cell carcinomas whereas TTF-1 expression was seen in 1 of the 30 Merkel cell carcinomas (3%). MASH1 is a useful adjunct marker for differentiating small cell carcinoma of the lung from Merkel cell carcinoma.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2008.118DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cell carcinoma
44
small cell
32
merkel cell
28
cell carcinomas
16
cell
15
carcinoma merkel
12
carcinoma lung
12
carcinoma
11
marker differentiating
8
small
8

Similar Publications

Outcomes With Radiation Therapy as Primary Treatment for Unresectable Cutaneous Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol)

December 2024

Radiation Oncology Network, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address:

Aims: Unresectable cutaneous squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (HNcSCC) poses treatment challenges in elderly and comorbid patients. Radiation therapy (RT) is often employed for locoregional control. This study aimed to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes achieved with upfront RT in unresectable HNcSCC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Triple negative breast cancers often contain higher numbers of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes compared with other breast cancer subtypes, with their number correlating with prolonged survival. Since little is known about tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte trafficking in triple negative breast cancers, we investigated the relationship between tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and the vascular compartment to better understand the immune tumour microenvironment in this aggressive cancer type. We aimed to identify mechanisms and signaling pathways responsible for immune cell trafficking in triple negative breast cancers, specifically of basal type, that could potentially be manipulated to change such tumours from immune "cold" to "hot" thereby increasing the likelihood of successful immunotherapy in this challenging patient population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The dynamics of focal adhesions (FAs) are essential physiological processes involved in cell spreading, metastasis, and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. FAs are complex structures comprising proteins, such as paxillin and zyxin, which interact with extracellular membranes and influence cell motility and morphology. Although related studies have been reported in various cancers, the function and molecular mechanisms of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Refractory small cell lung cancer with pancreatic metastasis: A case report.

Medicine (Baltimore)

January 2025

Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, China.

Rationale: The occurrence of refractory small cell lung cancer (rSCLC) with pancreatic metastasis is a relatively rare clinical condition, which is typically accompanied by a poor prognosis and rapid disease progression.

Patient Concerns: A 65-year-old male farmer from China was diagnosed with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) 8 months ago. Following 6 cycles of EP chemotherapy, the patient's tumor response showed partial relief.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents an escalating public health challenge globally. However, drug resistance has emerged as a major impediment to successful HCC treatment, limiting the efficacy of curative interventions. Despite numerous investigations into the diverse impacts of hsa-miR-125a-5p on tumor growth across different cancer types, its specific involvement in chemotherapy resistance in HCC remains elusive.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!