[Immunohistochemical study of small cell sarcomas and factors(nm23, CD44) predicting metastatic spreading in...

An immunohistochemical study was made of 43 tumors from children, which were classified as small blue round cell tumors (13 neuroblastomas, 13 rhabdomyosarcomas, 14 Ewing sarcomas/PNET, 2 undifferentiated sarcoma, 1 rhabdoid tumor). The use of a wide panel of antibodies confirmed (in 74% of the cases) and corrected (in 26%) the diagnosis of a diversity of small cell sarcomas established by routine methods. In neuroblastoma, the occurrence of distal metastases was associated with the loss of nm 23 protein. Increase in CD44 expression was more frequently observed in neuroblastomas with favorable prognostic signs and embryonic rhabdosarcomas that are not accompanied by metastases. This needs further study.