Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid

Immunohistochemistry

calcitonin

most cases

chromogranin

positive

CEA

88-100%

Cytokeratin 5/6

0/164, 0%5

Cytokeratin 7

15/164, 100%5

Cytokeratin 14

0/164, 0%5

Cytokeratin 19

positive

Cytokeratin 20

0/174, 0%5

Galactin-3

3/62, 16/203, 1/2

calcitonin-gene related peptide

variable

somatostatin

variable

ACTH

variable

endorphin

variable

serotonin

variable

gastrin

variable

histaminase

variable

bombesin

variable

gastrin-releasing peptide

variable

S-100 stains sustentacular cells, which are present in may (63%) MEN-associated medullary carcinomas but are uncommon in sporadic tumours (9%).

Positivity for CEA supports a diagnosis of medullary carcinoma even in the absence of calcitonin immunoreactivity in the setting of familial medullary carcinoma or MEN.

References

Diagnostic histopathology of tumors. Edited by CDM Fletcher. 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone. Page 1008.

2Fernandez, P.L., Merino, M.J., Gomez, M., Campo, E., Medina, T., Castronovo, V., Sanjuan, X., Cardesa, A., Liu, F.T. and Sobel, M.E. Galectin-3 and laminin expression in neoplastic and non-neoplastic thyroid tissue. J Pathol 1997;181:80-6.

3Cvejic, D., Savin, S., Paunovic, I., Tatic, S., Havelka, M. and Sinadinovic, J. Immunohistochemical localization of galectin-3 in malignant and benign human thyroid tissue. Anticancer Res 1998;18:2637-41.

4Chu, P. G. and L. M. Weiss (2002). "Keratin expression in human tissues and neoplasms." Histopathology 40(5): 403-39. (Summary data from multiple papers)

5Erickson, L. A. and R. V. Lloyd (2004). "Practical markers used in the diagnosis of endocrine tumors." Adv Anat Pathol 11(4): 175-89.

This page last revised 21.7,2004.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop