Pancreatoblastoma: a histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis

A case of pancreatoblastoma arising in a five year old girl was analysed using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The tumour was composed of tubular gland-like structures, squamoid components and some small round cells surrounding tubular structures. The cytoplasm of the small round cells and a few of the squamoid cells was positive on staining with Grimelius argyrophil stain. Immunohistochemically, tumour tissue was positive for neurone specific enolase. The cytoplasm of some of the small round cells was positive for insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatin polypeptide, thyroid stimulating hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and neurotensin. These results suggest that this tumour arose from primitive multipotential stem cells, showing exocrine and neuroendocrine differentiation.