The prevalence of pancreatic acinar differentiation in gastric adenocarcinoma: Report of a case and immunohistochemical study of 111 additional cases Journal Article


Authors: Lee, H.; Tang, L. H.; Veras, E. F.; Klimstra, D. S.
Article Title: The prevalence of pancreatic acinar differentiation in gastric adenocarcinoma: Report of a case and immunohistochemical study of 111 additional cases
Abstract: Although pancreatic acinar metaplasia in the gastric mucosa is well recognized in chronic gastritis, gastric carcinoma with acinar differentiation is very rare. We encountered a case of gastric adenocarcinoma with prominent histologic and immunohistochemical features of pancreatic acinar differentiation in the absence of identifiable heterotopic pancreatic tissue. Distinct glandular and diffuse patterns of adenocarcinoma were also present, and there was focal mucin production. The tumor strongly expressed pancreatic exocrine enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, and focal neuroendocrine staining was also present. To investigate the prevalence of acinar differentiation in histologically typical gastric cancers, we performed immunohistochemical staining for trypsin and chymotrypsin on a tissue microarray containing 111 conventional gastric adenocarcinomas (60 intestinal, 28 mixed, 22 diffuse type, and 1 undifferentiated). No obvious morphologic evidence of acinar differentiation was identified in any of the 111 cases. Although some cases showed equivocal staining for at least 1 pancreatic exocrine enzyme on the initial tissue microarray sections, repeat immunohistochemical staining on representative whole-tissue sections failed to reproduce positive staining. Thus, acinar differentiation is rare in gastric adenocarcinomas, other than in histologically unusual cases such as the one we report, and in others from the literature, which are reviewed. Copyright © 2012 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Keywords: immunohistochemistry; adult; aged; aged, 80 and over; middle aged; metaplasia; case report; tumor markers, biological; cell differentiation; enzymology; pathology; tumor marker; biopsy; gastrectomy; tissue array analysis; tissue microarray; acinar cell carcinoma; carcinoma, acinar cell; stomach neoplasms; chymotrypsin; stomach tumor; gastric cancer; trypsin; acinar differentiation; pancreatic metaplasia
Journal Title: American Journal of Surgical Pathology
Volume: 36
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0147-5185
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2012-03-01
Start Page: 402
End Page: 408
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e318238369e
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 22082608
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 2 April 2012" - "CODEN: AJSPD" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Emanuela Fernandes Tavora Veras
    20 Veras
  2. Hwa Jeong Lee
    6 Lee
  3. David S Klimstra
    978 Klimstra
  4. Laura Hong Tang
    447 Tang