MELANOTIC PARAGANGLIOMA OF THE POSTERIOR MEDIASTINUM

Citation
Wj. Hofmann et al., MELANOTIC PARAGANGLIOMA OF THE POSTERIOR MEDIASTINUM, Virchows Archiv, 425(6), 1995, pp. 641-646
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Pathology
Journal title
ISSN journal
09456317
Volume
425
Issue
6
Year of publication
1995
Pages
641 - 646
Database
ISI
SICI code
0945-6317(1995)425:6<641:MPOTPM>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
A melanotic paraganglioma occurred in a 57-year-old woman, located in the left paravertebral space of the upper mediastinum. It was totally resected. During a 5 year follow up period neither tumour reccurrence nor metastasis were observed. Histological examination of the tumour r evealed a paraganglioma with monomorphous chief cell like elements whi ch were arranged in a ''zellballen'' pattern. Immunohistochemical resu lts also were in accordance with the diagnosis since neuron-specific e nolase, chromogranin and synaptophysin were found in tumour cells wher eas keratin was not. Additionally, neurosecretory granules were found in tumour cells during electron microscopy. A peculiar feature of the tumour was its strong pigmentation due to melanin located within the t umour cells and tumour associated melanophages. The simultaneous expre ssion of functional properties of two different neural crest derived c ells in one tumour stresses the close relationship between all neural crest elements and is in accordance with the observation of other mela notic, non-melanomatous tumours.