A. Handra-luca et al., Spindle cell squamous carcinoma of the oesophagus: an analysis of 17 cases, with new immunohistochemical evidence for a clonal origin, HISTOPATHOL, 39(2), 2001, pp. 125-132
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Aims: To study the morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of
spindle cell squamous carcinoma of the oesophagus, in order better to unde
rstand the histogenesis of this tumour.
Methods and results: In this study we analysed the morphological and immuno
histochemical characteristics of 17 cases of spindle cell squamous carcinom
a of the oesophagus. Most tumours were polypoid, but tumours with an ulcera
ted and infiltrative pattern were also observed. Histologically, most tumou
rs were of superficial type, with a characteristic morphological aspect con
sisting of two types of tumour cells, i.e. differentiated squamous cells, a
nd spindle cells with transition zones between the two components. On immun
ohistochemistry, the squamous cells were positive for cytokeratin and the s
pindle cells showed variable expression of cytokeratin, vimentin and smooth
muscle actin. p53 protein was over-expressed in 10 cases, both tumour cell
types showing strong nuclear positivity. In most tumours, E-cadherin was e
xpressed in the squamous cells and absent in the spindle cells.
Conclusions: The similar pattern of p53 protein expression in the two tumou
r cell types of spindle cell squamous carcinoma of the oesophagus suggests
their common origin. The change in adhesion molecule expression with loss o
f E-cadherin expression may be associated with the acquisition of spindle c
ell morphology by the squamous tumour cells.