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Neuroendocrine differentiation and prognosis in prostatic adenocarcinoma
L J McWilliam1, C Manson, N J George
1Department of Pathological Sciences, University of Manchester, South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust, Withington Hospital, West Didsbury, UK.
Objectives:
To assess the prognostic importance of neuroendocrine differentiation in conventional (non-small cell) prostatic adenocarcinoma.
Materials And Methods:
Ninety-two samples from patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma were studied retrospectively. The immunohistochemical analysis of chromogranin A and neuron-specific enolase in formalin-fixed, paraffin wax embedded prostatic tissue chips was related to other prognostic variables and patient survival.
Results:
Neuroendocrine differentiation was detected in 48 cases; there was a significant correlation with worsening tumour differentiation, the presence of bone metastases and with worsening survival, but no independent effect of neuroendocrine differentiation on survival.
Conclusion:
The detection of neuroendocrine differentiation in conventional prostatic adenocarcinoma is not an independent indicator of prognosis.