Endocrine cell hyperplasia and appendiceal carcinoids

Abstract

As endocrine tumours in a number of organs may arise in a background of hyperplasia, the density of endocrine cells in appendices from ten patients with carcinoid tumours was compared with that in appendices from ten age- and sex-matched control patients. Crypt and lamina propria endocrine cells were quantified separately. The density of argentaffin endocrine cells in the crypts was significantly higher in appendices with carcinoid tumours when compared with the controls. No difference was found in non-argentaffin endocrine cells, and no difference was found in either argentaffin or argyrophil endocrine cells in the lamina propria. While it is possible that carcinoid tumours induce an increase in the number of enterochromaffin (EC) cells in the background mucosa, it is considered more likely that EC cell hyperplasia predisposes to the development of carcinoid tumours of the appendix.

Appendiceal Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Single-Center Experience and New Insights into the Effective Use of Immunohistochemistry

“…Appendiceal well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors arise from neuroendocrine cells located within the lamina propria/submucosa of the appendiceal wall, and the tip of the appendix is where most of these cells are located. 18,19 In our series, the tumor's location was predominantly the tip or distal appendix (86%).…”

Tumores Neuroendócrinos do Apêndice Cecal: Experiência do Instituto Nacional de Câncer

“…a origem dos tne do intestino é entendida como derivada das células endócrinas epiteliais, que se apresentam com maior densidade nesse grupo de tumores. alguns autores acreditam que a hiperplasia das células enterocromafins predispõe ao surgimento dos tne apendiculares 13 . outros estudiosos sugerem que essa neoplasia tem origem nas células secretoras subepiteliais, que normalmente estão em número maior na região distal do apêndice e em íntima relação com fibras nervosas 14 .…”

Endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract—selected topics

“…Moreover, patients with multifocal ileal neoplasms are younger than those with solitary tumours and have a worse prognosis, 10 and in one careful quantitative study of eight patients with multiple jejunoileal EC‐cell tumours there was convincing hyperplasia of intracryptal serotonin‐containing endocrine cells in the background mucosa 12 . There is some evidence for endocrine cell hyperplasia in the background mucosa of appendices containing EC‐cell carcinoids also 13 and there are case reports of multiple intestinal endocrine tumours occurring in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, 14,15 conditions where endocrine cell hyperplasia has been alleged.…”