PULMONARY OAT-CELL CARCINOMAS - EXPRESSION OF PLASMA-MEMBRANE ANTIGEN CORRELATED WITH PRESENCE OF CYTOPLASMIC NEUROSECRETORY GRANULES

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (5) , 432-436
Abstract
A plasma membrane antigen highly associated with pulmonary oat cell carcinoma was recently identified. Expression of this surface antigen was examined in routine surgical pathology material from 32 primary lung tumors by immunostaining. The staining patterns of 17 tumors diagnosed as oat cell carcinoma by light microscopy were compared to those of 10 epidermoid carcinomas, 4 carcinoid tumors, and 1 lymphocytic lymphoma. When available, the oat cell carcinoma group was also studied by EM for demonstration of cytoplasmic neurosecretory granules. Twelve of the 17 oat cell carcinomas and 1 of the epidermoid carcinomas expressed the antigen. In this group of small cell tumors of the lung, agreement was found between the expression of this immunochemical marker and the presence of neurosecretory granules in the cytoplasm of the tumors. Demonstration of this surface antigen in routine surgical pathologic material may be a useful aid in the diagnosis of these tumors. The failure of a group of tumors which satisfied the light microscopic criteria for oat cell carcinoma to stain for the antigen demonstrates heterogeneity within the oat cell carcinoma group.