Anaplastic carcinoma

Cutaneous application of 1ml of a 2% solution of DAB in acetone two times/week for 90 weeks caused skin tumors in all six male rats treated. Squamous cell, basal cell, and anaplastic carcinomas were observed there were no tumors in controls given acetone alone. ... 

Antibodies to these PEMs are directed to the apical membrane portions of secretory mammary cells surrounding milk fat globules (mol wt >250 kDa). They react with a variety of epithelial tumors, including mesotheliomas. Like keratin, these antibodies are also expressed on synovial sarcomas, epithelioid sarcomas, and chordomas. They are not as reactive with as wide a variety of tumors as antikeratins. For instance, they do not react with many endocrine tumors. However, they may recognize some renal-cell carcinomas and small-cell anaplastic carcinomas... 

Radiosensitizing Agents - Agents which sensitize tumor cells to the lethal effects of ionizing radiation are being actively pursued. Two known radiosensitizers, metronidazole and nitrofurazone, were shown to be cytotoxic to Chinese hamster cells in the absence of radiation, but only under hypoxic conditions.82 The x-ray requirement for antitumor activity in a murine anaplastic carcinoma was reduced when metronidazole was administered orally before irradiation.83 RO-07-0582 (13), a compound... 

Ordonez and coworkers,5 of 32 (15.6%) cases of anaplastic carcinoma exhibited TGB immunoreactivity in a small number of cells using both monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antisera. In this series, positivity was present in 3 of 8 giant cell, 1 of 4 spindle cell, and none of 6 squamoid or 13 mixed variants. Examination of serial sections in these cases failed to reveal evidence of entrapped normal follicular cells or foci of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Other authors, however, have failed to demonstrate any TGB immunoreactivity in anaplastic carcinomas except in foci of residual differentiated tumor. 

Antibodies to T3 and T4 have been used less extensively than TGB in studies of thyroid carcinoma. Kawaoi and coworkers reported T4 positivity in 95% of papillary carcinomas and 54% of follicular carcinomas but in no cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. T3 was present in 66% of papillary carcinomas, 81% of follicular carcinomas, and 45% of anaplastic carcinomas. The significance of T3 staining in the absence of T4 immunoreactivity, however, is unknown. In addition to thyroglobulin, T3, and T4, thyroid peroxidase has also been used for studies of thyroid tumors. ... 

Thyroid transcription factor-2 (TTF-2) and PAX-8, which are essential for thyroid organogenesis and differentiation, have also been studied in thyroid tumors. TTF-1, TTF-2, and PAX-8 were expressed in differentiated and poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas, whereas TTF-1 and TTF-2 were expressed in 18% and 7% of anaplastic carcinomas, respectively. PAX-8, on the other hand, was present in 79% of anaplastic carcinomas. TTF-2 was negative in all other neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues including those of pulmonary origin. Although PAX-8 was present in a variety... 

Cytokeratins are demonstrable in 70% to 75% of anaplastic carcinomas using antibodies AE1/AE3, 34pHll, and CAM5.2, while approximately 30% exhibit reactivity with 34pE12 (Fig. 10.12). 788 Poorly differentiated carcinomas exhibit positivity in 100% of cases with broad-spectrum cytokeratin antibodies. ... 

Modified from Nikiforov Y. Genetic alterations involved in the transition from well to poorly differentiated and anaplastic carcinoma. Endocr Pathol. 2004 15 319-328. 

Approximately 15% of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas and a significantly higher proportion of undifferentiated/anaplastic carcinomas are positive for BRAE mutations.Moreover, the mutations occur more commonly in those poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas with a papillary component. These findings suggest that the high-grade tumors progress from BRAF-positive papillary carcinomas. 

Adenocarcinoma, thyroid (note 100 anaplastic carcinomas of thyroid are less frequently positive) Carcinoma, small cell, vaginal 34... 

Paal E, Thompson LD, Frommelt RA, et al. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 35 anaplastic carcinomas of the pancreas with a review of the literature. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2001 5 129-140. 

Motoo Y, Kawashima A, Watanabe H, et al. Undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinoma of the pancreas showing sarcomatous change and neoplastic cyst formation. Int J Pancreatol. 1997 21 243-248. 

Nishihara K, Katsumoto F, Kurokawa Y, et al. Anaplastic carcinoma showing rhabdoid features combined with mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1997 121 1104-1107. 

Rubenstein JH, Katin MJ, Mangano MM, et al. Small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the prostate seven new cases, review of the literature, and discussion of a therapeutic strategy. Am J Clin Oncol. 1997 20 376. 

Mural nodules are occasionally detected in the walls of mucinous tumors. The mucinous tumors can be benign, borderline, or carcinoma. Three types of mural nodules have been described anaplastic car-cinoma,4 h462 sarcoma, and sarcoma-like reactive spindle cell proliferations.4 4,465 Anaplastic carcinoma is an obviously malignant proliferation that expresses cytokeratin, usually in a strong and diffuse pattern, and which often coexpresses vimentin.4 >467 Sarcomatous mural nodules are malignant spindle or epithelioid cell... 

Prat J, Young RH, Scully RE. Ovarian mucinous tumors with foci of anaplastic carcinoma. Cancer. 1982 50 300-304. 

Chan YF, Ho HC, Yau SM, et al. Ovarian mucinous tumor with mural nodules of anaplastic carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol. 1989 35 112-119. 

Hard or unusual firmness in one region of the goiter raise the suspicion of cancer, parficularly anaplastic carcinoma or thyroid lymphoma... 

Thyroid oaroinoma Papillary oaroinoma Follioular oaroinoma Poorly differentiated carcinoma Undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinoma Squamous cell carcinoma Mucoepidermoid carcinoma... 

The common variant consists of large bizarre cells with chromatin poor horseshoeshaped nuclei including multiple nucleoli. These cells are characterized by a cohesive pattern, some times resembling anaplastic carcinoma or malignant melanoma. This morphological type is seen in about 70% of cases. 

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