Prostate Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Prostate Cancer, including details on symptoms, genetics, screening, treatment, information.

Immunohistochemical characterization of neuroendocrine cells in prostate cancer.

Huang J, Yao JL, di Sant'Agnese PA, Yang Q, Bourne PA, Na Y

Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. Jiaoti_Huang@urmc.rochester.edu

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine (NE) cells increase in high grade/stage prostate cancer (PC) and may contribute to androgen-independent cancer. Their immunohistochemical phenotype has not been studied in detail and conflicting results have been reported. METHODS: PC tissue was stained immunohistochemically for luminal secretory cell-associated cytokeratin, basal cell markers, ki-67, androgen receptor (AR), PSA, prostate acid phosphatase (PAP), and alpha-methylacyl coenzyme A racemase (AMACR). RESULTS: The NE cells are positive for AE1/AE3, Cam 5.2, and negative for basal cell markers. They are negative for AR, PSA, and Ki-67 but positive for PAP. The benign NE cells are negative for AMACR while the malignant NE cells are positive for AMACR. CONCLUSIONS: NE cells of PC constitute a unique subset of cancer cells, which have a unique immunohistochemical profile. They do not express AR, consistent with their resistance to hormonal therapy. They are post-mitotic cells but are malignant and part of the tumor.

Published 4 September 2006 in Prostate, 66(13): 1399-406.
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