Yonsei Med J.  2007 Dec;48(6):1066-1071. 10.3349/ymj.2007.48.6.1066.

Extrapulmonary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Liver: Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Findings

• Choi SJ
• Kim JM
• Han JY
• Ahn SI
• Kim JS
• Kim L
• Park IS
• Chu YC

• KMID: 1786228
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2007.48.6.1066

Abstract

Patients with primary small cell carcinoma of the liver have rarely been described in medical literature. Knowledge of clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical properties remains limited. We described an 82-year-old female patient with primary small cell carcinoma of the liver. Histologically, the tumor showed typical morphology of a pulmonary small cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor revealed neuroendocrine differentiation; positive reaction for chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD56, and neuron specific enolase. The tumor was also positive for TTF-1 and c-kit but completely negative for hepatocyte, carcinoembryonic antigen, cytokeratin 7; 19; and 20. Herein, we discussed the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical findings of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma of the liver and reviewed the relevant literature.

Keyword

Small cell carcinoma; neuroendocrine carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; liver

MeSH Terms

Aged, 80 and over
Antigens, CD56/analysis
Carcinoma, Small Cell/metabolism/*pathology
Chromogranins/analysis
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Liver/chemistry/*pathology
Liver Neoplasms/metabolism/*pathology
Lung Neoplasms/pathology
Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/analysis
Synaptophysin/analysis

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Abdominal CT scan shows a 5.6 cm-size liver mass with peripheral rim enhancement.

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  Fig. 2 Grossly, the well demarcated tumor shows central necrosis and cystic change.

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  Fig. 3 Microscopic findings of the tumor reveal solid small round cells and necrosis (A). The tumor cells show oval to fusiform hyperchromatic nuclei and indistinct nucleoli with frequent mitoses (B).

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  Fig. 4 Immunohistochemical staining for CD56 (A) and synaptophysin (B) reveals a strong positive reaction.

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