Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Gallbladder
Laura Webb Lamps, MD
Key Facts
Terminology
Similar to small cell carcinomas in other organs
Clinical Issues
Highly aggressive neoplasm
Microscopic Pathology
Round to spindled blue cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, finely dispersed chromatin, nuclear moulding
Abundant necrosis and numerous mitoses
May have foci of adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, &/or mucosal dysplasia/carcinoma in situ
Cytokeratin positive; many are negative for neuroendocrine markers
Diagnostic Checklist
Important to make diagnosis so that patients get the correct chemotherapeutic regimen
 This low-power view of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder shows the characteristic diffuse submucosal growth pattern. |
 The tumor is composed of sheets of round to spindled small blue cells with finely dispersed chromatin and little cytoplasm. |
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (PDNC)
Synonyms
Small cell carcinoma
Small cell undifferentiated carcinoma
Oat cell carcinoma
Definitions
Most are similar to small cell counterpart in other organs, but some tumors have a large cell phenotype
ETIOLOGY/PATHOGENESIS
Unknown
Associated with gallstones
CLINICAL ISSUES
Epidemiology
Incidence
Very rare
< 5% of gallbladder carcinomas
More common in gallbladder than extrahepatic biliary tree
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