| carcinoma, neuroendocrine | A group of carcinomas which share a characteristic morphology, often being composed of clusters and trabecular sheets of round "blue cells", granular chromatin, and an attenuated rim of poorly demarcated cytoplasm. Neuroendocrine tumours include carcinoids, small ("oat") cell carcinomas, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, merkel cell tumour, cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma, pancreatic islet cell tumours, and pheochromocytoma. Neurosecretory granules are found within the tumour cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin | A rare malignant cutaneous tumour seen in sun-exposed skin of elderly patients composed of dermal nodules of small round cells with scanty cytoplasm in a trabecular pattern; the tumour cells contain cytoplasmic dense core granules resembling neurosecretory granules seen in Merkel cells. Synonym: primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, trabecular carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| neuroendocrine | 1. Pertaining to the anatomical and functional relationships between the nervous system and the endocrine apparatus. 2. Descriptive of cells that release a hormone into the circulating blood in response to a neural stimulus. Such cells may comprise a peripheral endocrine gland (e.g., the insulin-secreting beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas and the adrenaline-secreting chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla); others are neurons in the brain (e.g., the neurons of the supraoptic nucleus that release antidiuretic hormone from their axon terminals in the posterior lobe of the hypophysis). (05 Mar 2000) |
| neuroendocrine cell | <endocrinology> A hormone secreted by specialised neurons (neuroendocrine cells), for example releasing hormones. (18 Nov 1997) |
| neuroendocrine transducer cell | An endocrine cell that releases its hormonal product into the bloodstream only upon receipt of a nervous impulse. (05 Mar 2000) |
| neuroendocrine tumours | Tumours whose cells possess secretory granules and originate from the neuroectoderm, i.e., the cells of the ectoblast or epiblast that program the neuroendocrine system. Common properties across most neuroendocrine tumours include ectopic hormone production (often via apud cells), the presence of tumour-associated antigens, and isozyme composition. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acinar carcinoma | <tumour> An adenocarcinoma arising from secreting cells of a racemose gland, particularly the salivary glands. Synonym: acinar carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma, acinose carcinoma, acinous carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acinic cell carcinoma | <tumour> An adenocarcinoma arising from secreting cells of a racemose gland, particularly the salivary glands. Synonym: acinar carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma, acinose carcinoma, acinous carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acinous carcinoma | <tumour> An adenocarcinoma arising from secreting cells of a racemose gland, particularly the salivary glands. Synonym: acinar carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma, acinose carcinoma, acinous carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoid cystic carcinoma | <tumour> A histologic type of carcinoma characterised by large epithelial masses containing round, glandlike spaces or cysts which frequently contain mucus or collagen and are bordered by a few or many layers of epithelial cells without intervening stroma, forming a cribriform pattern like a slice of Swiss cheese; perineural invasion and haematogenous metastasis are common; occurs most commonly in salivary glands. Synonym: cylindromatous carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoid squamous cell carcinoma | <tumour> A malignant neoplasm consisting chiefly of glandular epithelium (adenocarcinoma), usually well differentiated, with foci of metaplasia to squamous (or epidermoid) neoplastic cells. Synonym: adenoid squamous cell carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenosquamous carcinoma | <tumour> A type of lung tumour exhibiting areas of clear cut glandular and squamous cell differentiation along with regions of the undifferentiated carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adnexal carcinoma | <tumour> A carcinoma arising in, or forming structures resembling, skin appendages. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alveolar cell carcinoma | <tumour> A carcinoma, thought to be derived from epithelium of terminal bronchioles, in which the neoplastic tissue extends along the alveolar walls and grows in small masses within the alveoli; involvement may be uniformly diffuse and massive, or nodular, or lobular; microscopically, the neoplastic cells are cuboidal or columnar and form papillary structures; mucin may be demonstrated in some of the cells and in the material in the alveoli, which also includes denuded cells; metastases in regional lymph nodes, and even in more distant sites, are known to occur, but are infrequent. Synonym: alveolar cell carcinoma, bronchiolar adenocarcinoma, bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma, bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anaplastic carcinoma | <tumour> Carcinoma with absence of epithelial structural differentiation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid | <oncology, tumour> An aggressive form and rare form of thyroid cancer that is one of the most rapidly growing and invasive types of thyroid cancer. It commonly occurs in people over 60 years of age and may cause obstruction of the trachea. The cause is unknown but exposure to radiation may be a factor. Thyroid function tests are usually normal. Hoarse voice, cough and coughing up blood are common symptoms. Examination may reveal nodules in the thyroid gland. Diagnosis is made via biopsy. Treatment is surgical with or without radiation therapy. (27 Sep 1997) |