Neuroendocrine differentiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

作者：Schartinger V H^*; Falkeis C; Laimer K; Sprinzl G M; Riechelmann H; Rasse M; Virgolini I; Dudas J

来源：Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 2012, 126(12): 1261-1270.

DOI：10.1017/S0022215112002265

• Head and Neck Neoplasm
• Neuroendocrine Cells
• Immunohistochemistry

Objective: Tumours with neuroendocrine differentiation frequently express chromogranin A, synaptophysin and somatostatin receptors. The role of neuroendocrine differentiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is not yet clear. %26lt;br%26gt;Method: The presence of chromogranin A, synaptophysin and somatostatin receptors was studied immunohistochemically in 78 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma specimens. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: Sparse chromogranin A expression was found in 41 per cent, associated with high chromogranin A messenger RNA expression and the presence of dense core granules. Low synaptophysin expression was found in 18 per cent. The highest staining scores were found for somatostatin receptor 5 (82 per cent), followed by somatostatin receptor 1 (69 per cent) and somatostatin receptor 2 (54 per cent), whereas somatostatin receptors 3 and 4 expression was low. Expression was not correlated with tumour stage or survival. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusion: Cells with neuroendocrine differentiation are sparsely scattered in some head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Their pathophysiological role is elusive. In contrast, somatostatin receptor and particularly somatostatin receptor 5 expression is frequent in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Somatostatin receptor expression is not considered to indicate neuroendocrine differentiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

• 出版日期2012-12