Expression of glucocorticoid receptor and 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in a case of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma
- 1First Department of Pathology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2–2–2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata 990–9585, Japan
- 2Division of Internal Medicine, Yamagata Prefectural Nihonkai Hospital, Yamagata 998-8501, Japan
- 3Division of Surgery, Yamagata Prefectural Nihonkai Hospital
- 4Division of Radiology, Yamagata Prefectural Nihonkai Hospital
- 5Division of Clinical Pathology, Yamagata Prefectural Nihonkai Hospital,
- Correspondence to: Professor M Yamakawa, First Department of Pathology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2–2–2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata 990–9585, Japan; myamakaw{at}med.id.yamagata-u.ac.jp
- Accepted 19 June 2001
Abstract
This report describes a case of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma in which the tumour cells expressed the glucocorticoid receptor and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. The patient, a 15 year old girl, who had no other complaints or past illnesses, was found to have an abnormal shadow on a chest roentgenogram obtained at a school medical examination. Multiple nodular shadows in the bilateral lungs were also confirmed by computerised axial tomography scan. A diagnosis of pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma was made on the basis of lung biopsy specimens. The tumour cells were immunohistochemically positive for factor VIII related antigen, CD31, and CD34, but not surfactant apoprotein A. In addition, almost all of the tumour cells showed simultaneous expression of the glucocorticoid receptor and 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, suggesting that steroid treatment would be effective.
- HSD, hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
- PAS, periodic acid Schiff
- PEH, pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma
