Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Venable, ER; Kerr, SE; Lopes, MBS; Jones, KA; Bellizzi, AM; Mounajjed, T; Raghunathan, A; Hamidi, O; Halfdanarson, TR; Ryder, M; Graham, RP
Published in: Diagn Pathol
July 4, 2020

BACKGROUND: Pathologists frequently encounter neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) presenting as multiple liver masses in routine practice. Most often, these are well-differentiated tumors with characteristic histologic features. In contrast, pituitary carcinoma is very rare, and there is limited data on its natural history and pathologic characterization. METHODS: The aim of this study was to describe clinical characteristics, histomorphology, immunophenotype and follow-up of pituitary carcinoma involving the liver and mimicking well-differentiated NETs of visceral origin. We selected a group of well-differentiated NETs of the pancreas to use as immunophenotypic controls. We identified 4 patients (age range, 51 to 73) with pituitary corticotroph carcinoma with liver metastases. Three patients presented with Cushing syndrome. RESULTS: All cases histologically resembled well-differentiated NETs of visceral origin with Ki-67 proliferation indices of 5-42% and expression of T-PIT; metastatic tumors were not immunoreactive with CDX2, Islet 1 or TTF-1. CONCLUSIONS: Frequently, these cases display adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion and pituitary-specific transcription factor immunohistochemistry may be used as a reliable marker to distinguish metastatic pituitary carcinoma from NETs of visceral origin in addition to delineating a corticotroph carcinoma from somatotroph, lactotroph, thyrotroph, and gonadotroph lineage. Although rare, the differential diagnosis of pituitary carcinoma should be considered in metastatic well-differentiated NETs in which the site of origin is uncertain. In summary, pituitary corticotroph carcinoma can metastasize to the liver and mimic well-differentiated NET.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Diagn Pathol

DOI

EISSN

1746-1596

Publication Date

July 4, 2020

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

81

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Pituitary Neoplasms
  • Pathology
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Liver Neoplasms
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Venable, E. R., Kerr, S. E., Lopes, M. B. S., Jones, K. A., Bellizzi, A. M., Mounajjed, T., … Graham, R. P. (2020). Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases. Diagn Pathol, 15(1), 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-020-00997-x
Venable, Elise R., Sarah E. Kerr, M Beatriz S. Lopes, Karra A. Jones, Andrew M. Bellizzi, Taofic Mounajjed, Aditya Raghunathan, et al. “Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases.Diagn Pathol 15, no. 1 (July 4, 2020): 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-020-00997-x.
Venable ER, Kerr SE, Lopes MBS, Jones KA, Bellizzi AM, Mounajjed T, et al. Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases. Diagn Pathol. 2020 Jul 4;15(1):81.
Venable, Elise R., et al. “Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases.Diagn Pathol, vol. 15, no. 1, July 2020, p. 81. Pubmed, doi:10.1186/s13000-020-00997-x.
Venable ER, Kerr SE, Lopes MBS, Jones KA, Bellizzi AM, Mounajjed T, Raghunathan A, Hamidi O, Halfdanarson TR, Ryder M, Graham RP. Liver metastases from pituitary carcinomas mimicking visceral well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a series of four cases. Diagn Pathol. 2020 Jul 4;15(1):81.
Journal cover image

Published In

Diagn Pathol

DOI

EISSN

1746-1596

Publication Date

July 4, 2020

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

81

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Pituitary Neoplasms
  • Pathology
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Liver Neoplasms
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Biomarkers, Tumor