Literature Review: NE Differentiation in Prostate Cancer

NE differentiation (NED) is also present in prostate cancer. Some carcinomas are completely differentiated along NE lines, most notably carcinoid tumors and small cell carcinomas which are very rare. Somewhat more common are mixed tumors of conventional adenocarcinoma with a component of small cell carcinoma or carcinoid tumor. A recent report has proposed a category of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate (Evans et al, 2004). Generally, the term NED in prostate cancer refers to the presence of scattered NE cells singly or in small nests in conventional prostatic adenocarcinomas.

(See Cancer Figures 11-15 for illustrations)

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