Published online Dec 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i4.241
Revised: September 14, 1996
Accepted: September 28, 1996
Published online: December 15, 1996
AIM: To investigate the quantity of demonstrable tissue isoantigens A, B and H in primary carcinoma of the pancreas and their relationship with the degree of anaplasia.
METHODS: The pathological classification of 26 primary carcinomas of the pancreas and their anaplasia were studied by light microscopy with HE staining. The quantity of isoantigens A, B and H in carcinomas of the pancreas and their adjacent normal pancreas tissues were studied by immunohistochemical method.
RESULTS: Twenty-six primary carcinomas of the pancreas were classified as follows: Two acinar cell carcinomas, 22 adenocarcinoma, 1 adenocanthoma and 1 undifferentiated carcinoma. One of 2 acinar cell carcinomas, 6 of 22 adenocarinomas and 1 adenocanthoma were well differentiated; 1 of 2 acinar carcinomas and 12 of 22 adenocarcinoma were moderately differentiated; 4 of 22 adenocarcinoma and 1 undifferentiated carcinoma were poorly differentiated. The results of the immunohistochemical method showed that the ABH positive cells were more frequent in acinar cells and ductal epithelial cells in the adjacent normal pancreas than those in carcinoma of the pancreas. In 22 adenocarcinoma, the ABH positive cells were more frequent in well differentiated and moderately differentiated cancer cells than in poorly differentiated cells. In 11 invasive adenocarcinoma positive cells (++ or +++) were more frequent in primary foci than in metastatic foci. Twenty of 26 carcinomas of the pancreas belonged to A, B and AB blood groups. Most H isoantigens were converted to A or B or AB substances in 8 well differentiated, 7 moderately differentiated and 2 poorly differentiated carcinomas, while less transformation of H to A or B antigen was observed in 3 poorly differentiated carcinomas of the pancreas. Furthermore, it was observed that the secretion of isoantigens A, B, and H was less in carcinomas of the pancreas than in normal pancreas.
CONCLUSION: The loss of demonstrable isoantigens ABH parallels morphological anaplasia. Furthermore, we found that the functions of transformation of H substance into A and B substances as well as the secretion of ABH substances into the pancreatic duct were hampered.