Abstract
An uncommon case of undifferentiated carcinoma of the gall bladder in a 65 year old Chinese man, who presented with an increased serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration, is reported. Histologically, the tumour had a primitive appearance and was composed of a pavement-like array of poorly differentiated columnar/polygonal cells. Alpha-fetoprotein was demonstrated in some of the tumour cells using an immunoperoxidase technique. Alpha-fetoprotein secretion in this instance may have occurred because the gall bladder and the liver are of similar embryological origin. Alpha-fetoprotein may also be related to the resurgent expression of oncofetal antigens. This tumour may represent another rare cause of increased serum alpha-fetoprotein concentrations.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Brown J. A., Roberts C. S. Elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in primary gallbladder carcinoma without hepatic involvement. Cancer. 1992 Oct 1;70(7):1838–1840. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19921001)70:7<1838::aid-cncr2820700705>3.0.co;2-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Haruta J., Kanayama K., Tachino F., Hayakawa M., Kusakabe A., Kurokawa S., Oka Y., Ito S., Uno H., Matsunaga Y. [A clinicopathological evaluation of AFP-positive gallbladder cancer--with special reference to two autopsy cases investigated by an immunological method]. Gan No Rinsho. 1987 Nov;33(14):1839–1845. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ishikura H., Kanda M., Ito M., Nosaka K., Mizuno K. Hepatoid adenocarcinoma: a distinctive histological subtype of alpha-fetoprotein-producing lung carcinoma. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol. 1990;417(1):73–80. doi: 10.1007/BF01600112. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Matsunou H., Konishi F., Jalal R. E., Yamamichi N., Mukawa A. Alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric carcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation. Cancer. 1994 Feb 1;73(3):534–540. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19940201)73:3<534::aid-cncr2820730307>3.0.co;2-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McIntire K. R., Waldmann T. A., Moertel C. G., Go V. L. Serum alpha-fetoprotein in patients with neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer Res. 1975 Apr;35(4):991–996. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sugaya Y., Sugaya H., Kuronuma Y., Hisauchi T., Harada T. A case of gallbladder carcinoma producing both alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Gastroenterol Jpn. 1989 Jun;24(3):325–331. doi: 10.1007/BF02774332. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Vardaman C., Albores-Saavedra J. Clear cell carcinomas of the gallbladder and extrahepatic bile ducts. Am J Surg Pathol. 1995 Jan;19(1):91–99. doi: 10.1097/00000478-199501000-00011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Watanabe M., Hori Y., Nojima T., Kato H., Taketa K., Isogawa S., Yokoyama K., Nakagawa S. Alpha-fetoprotein-producing carcinoma of the gallbladder. Dig Dis Sci. 1993 Mar;38(3):561–564. doi: 10.1007/BF01316515. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Yoshida Y., Kaneko A., Chisaka N., Onoé T. Appearance of intestinal type of tumor cells in hepatoma tissue induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Cancer Res. 1978 Sep;38(9):2753–2758. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]