[Tumors of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system in childhood. Immunohistochemical study]

Twenty tumors of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system were investigated using a spectrum of antibodies against vimentin, neurofilament triplet, S-100 protein, neuronal specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin, synaptophysin, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. There were two ganglioneuromas, seven stroma rich neuroblastomas (composite ganglioneuroblastomas), five undifferentiated and six differentiating stroma poor neuroblastomas (NB) included in the series. Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded material was used. The results showed that reactivity of the antibodies was relatively high, except the reactivity against synaptophysin. The tumor cell population showed a heterogeneous positivity in all cases. Only some undifferentiated NB were positive with the employed antibodies, which reduces the diagnostic benefit in a group of NB in which diagnostic demands of the immunohistochemistry are most important. The best results in undifferentiated NB were obtained with polyclonal antibody against NSE. This antibody is, however, not specific. Positive results of the immunohistochemistry in this group of tumors should be evaluated with caution.