Pigmented neuroectodermal tumour of infancy: an immunohistochemical study

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Abstract
The pigmented neuroectodermal tumour of infancy is a rare neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis which, in the majority of cases, arises in the maxilla and pursues a benign course. Currently, it would be classified in the group of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumours. Histologically it is composed of two principal cell types: neuro‐blast‐like and melanocyte‐like. Three typical cases are presented herein, which appear to be the first examined with a panel of antibodies. The neuroblast‐like cells labelled positively for neurone‐specific enolase but were negative for S‐100, neurofilaments, glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin, cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The melanocyte‐like cells stained positively for neurone‐specific enolase, vimentin and cytokeratin but were negative for S‐100, neurofilaments, glial fibrillary acidic protein, EMA and CEA. The significance of these findings is discussed in the light of previous suggestions about the differentiation that these tumours show.