Correlation between histopathological form and the degree of neuroendocrine differentiations in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent neoplasic condition in males, but only 64-65% of the cases are sensitive to hormone therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroendocrine component of the prostatic carcinoma, in relation to the histopathological form and the degree of differentiation. Biopsies were obtained through transurethral resection, from 82 patients with prostate cancer. In order to assess the histopathological form and the Gleason score, one section from each case was stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin. Additional sections were stained with chromogranin A. We considered neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia to have a higher value than that observed in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and normal prostate (over three neuroendocrine cells÷gland). The quantification of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) has been significant; the reaction was considered to be weak (2-10% neuroendocrine cells), moderate (10-20%) and intense (over 50%). Cells positive for chromogranin A have been identified in all the cases, but a larger number than that registered in normal tissue has been noted in 59 patients (71.95%). In most of the cases, the neuroendocrine cells have been distributed in small groups among the neoplasic cells, and rarely isolated. In two cases of small cell carcinoma most of the tumoral cells have been positive for chromogranin A. In conclusion, the study of neuroendocrine differentiation in patients with prostatic carcinoma revealed hyperplasia of positive chromogranin A cells, in 71.95% of cases. Neuroendocrine prostatic differentiation is correlated with the advanced stage of evolution and possibly with the resistance to hormonal treatment.