Table 2 Histopathological evaluation of vulvar merkel cell carcinomas
From: Clinical features and treatment of vulvar Merkel cell carcinoma: a systematic review
Characteristic | n (%) |
|---|---|
Histologic finding (n = 17) | |
Small cells | 12 (70.6) |
High N/C ratio, scant cytoplasm | 12 (70.6) |
Nests, islands, trabecular | 11 (64.7) |
Hyperchromatic | 10 (58.8) |
High mitotic index | 8 (47.1) |
Necrosis | 6 (35.3) |
Irregular nuclei | 4 (23.5) |
Fibrous | 4 (23.5) |
Apoptosis | 4 (23.5) |
Sheets | 3 (17.6) |
Hemorrhage | 2 (11.8) |
Ulceration | 2 (11.8) |
Electron microscopy (n = 7)a | |
Dense core granules | 6 (85.7) |
Intermediate filaments | 5 (71.4) |
Immunostaining (n = 14)a | |
Neuroendocrine markers | |
Chromogranin | 7 (50) |
NSE | 7 (50) |
Synaptophysin | 6 (42.9) |
PGP 9.5 | 2 (14.3) |
Keratin stains (n = 13)a | |
Pancytokeratin AE1/AE3 | 7 (53.8) |
CAM5.2 | 4 (30.8) |
Low molecular weight CK | 3 (23.1) |
CK7 | 1 (7.7) |
CK8 | 2 (15.4) |
CK18 | 3 (23.1) |
CK19 | 1 (7.7) |
CK20 | 4 (30.8) |
Perinuclear dot/granular | 7 (53.8) |