Yonsei Med J.  2012 Nov;53(6):1142-1146. 10.3349/ymj.2012.53.6.1142.

Immunophenotypes of Glycogen Rich Clear Cell Carcinoma

• Kim SE
• Koo JS
• Jung WH

• KMID: 1414256
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2012.53.6.1142

Abstract

PURPOSE
Glycogen rich clear cell carcinoma (GRCC) of the breast is a rare subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma and involves a poor prognosis. In the literature, less than 150 cases have been reported. Many researchers have attempted to characterize GRCC according to electron microscope, flow cytometry, or clinical data. However, an organized study of the immunophenotype of GRCC has yet to be reported.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Here, we present three cases of GRCC and their immunohistochemical profiles.
RESULTS
Histologically, all three cases contained periodic acid stain (PAS) positive and d-PAS labile granules in their clear cytoplasm. Case I showed positivity for only estrogen receptor (ER) and c-erbB2. Case II exhibited positivity for progesterone receptor and negativity for ER and c-erbB2. Case III presented with triple negative invasive carcinoma. The expression pattern of E-cadherin was concordant with epidermal growth factor receptor and c-kit, but discordant with ki-67. Among these three cases, p53-positive cases exhibited a low proliferative index (ki-67: 15%), while p53-negative cases showed a high proliferative index (ki-67: 50-60%).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the immunophenotype of GRCC is not uniform, but is similar to that of conventional ductal carcinoma.

Keyword

Breast; carcinoma; clear cell; glycogen; immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/*classification/*metabolism
Breast Neoplasms/*classification/*metabolism
Female
Glycogen/*metabolism
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Immunophenotyping/*methods
Ki-67 Antigen/metabolism
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit/metabolism
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/metabolism
Receptor, erbB-2/metabolism
Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism
Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Histologic features of GRCC. (A) Tumor shows solid nests of clear cells with fine meshwork vasculatures (×100). (B) The individual cancer cells have clear cytoplasm with fine granules, low N-C ratio, wrinkled nuclei, and prominent nucleoli (×400). (C) The granules in tumor cells are stained with PAS (×400 and ×1000 in box). (D) The granules are not stained with d-PAS (×400 and ×1000 in box). GRCC, glycogen rich clear cell carcinoma; PAS, periodic acid stain.

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