Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Gallbladder
Laura Webb Lamps, MD
Key Facts
Terminology
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Similar to small cell carcinomas in other organs
Clinical Issues
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Highly aggressive neoplasm
Microscopic Pathology
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Round to spindled blue cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, finely dispersed chromatin, nuclear moulding
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Abundant necrosis and numerous mitoses
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May have foci of adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, &/or mucosal dysplasia/carcinoma in situ
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Cytokeratin positive; many are negative for neuroendocrine markers
Diagnostic Checklist
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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
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Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (PDNC)
Synonyms
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Small cell carcinoma
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Small cell undifferentiated carcinoma
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Oat cell carcinoma
Definitions
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Most are similar to small cell counterpart in other organs, but some tumors have a large cell phenotype
ETIOLOGY/PATHOGENESIS
Unknown
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Associated with gallstones
CLINICAL ISSUES
Epidemiology
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Incidence
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Very rare
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< 5% of gallbladder carcinomas
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More common in gallbladder than extrahepatic biliary tree
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