Liver cell carcinoma with orcein-positive granules and no identifiable copper

A liver cell carcinoma removed surgically by partial hepatectomy from a 79-year-old woman contained abundant orcein-positive granules in many tumour cells. The granules were similar to those usually identified as representing copper-associated protein, yet they lacked copper, as demonstrated by negative rhodanine and rubeanic acid stains and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis.