Wang D G, Barros D'Sa A A, Johnston C F, Buchanan K D
Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology, School of Clinical Medicine, The Queen's University of Belfast, United Kingdom.
Cancer. 1996 Jun 15;77(12):2581-7. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960615)77:12<2581::AID-CNCR23>3.0.CO;2-N.
The genetic etiology of carotid body tumors is suggested by the familial occurrence of the neoplasm. Environmental influences are also implied by the fact that the tumor is more common in those living at high altitudes. However, the development of sporadic tumors occurring at sea level, which account for the majority of cases, remains unknown.
The clinical and pathologic features of 13 carotid body tumors excised in 13 patients were reviewed. Two patients had bilateral tumors, one with a strong family history, and two patients had recurrent carotid body tumors. All tumors were benign except for one that had local lymph gland metastases. All patients were followed up for a period ranging from 1 to 17 years. Each tumor was examined for the oncoproteins c-myc, bcl-2 c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-jun and for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by immunohistochemistry.
c-myc immunoreactivity was observed in all tumors and, in 12 of 13 cases, was present in more than 10% of tumor cells, bcl-2 immunoreactivity was found in 11 cases with 6 tumors exhibiting more than 10% immunopositive cells, c-jun expression was found in 5 cases with 3 tumors containing more than 10% immunopositive cells. Only two tumors were positive for c-erb-B2 immunoreactivity with a cytoplasmic staining pattern. One tumor was positive for c-erb-B3.
The oncogenes c-myc, bcl-2 and c-jun, are abnormally expressed in some carotid body tumors. Their expression may contribute to the genesis of carotid body tumors.
颈动脉体瘤的家族性发病提示了其遗传病因。肿瘤在高海拔地区人群中更为常见这一事实也暗示了环境因素的影响。然而，占大多数病例的海平面散发性肿瘤的发病机制仍不清楚。
回顾了13例患者切除的13个颈动脉体瘤的临床和病理特征。2例患者为双侧肿瘤，其中1例有家族史，2例为复发性颈动脉体瘤。除1例有局部淋巴结转移外，所有肿瘤均为良性。所有患者随访1至17年。通过免疫组织化学检查每个肿瘤的癌蛋白c-myc、bcl-2、c-erbB-2、c-erbB-3和c-jun以及增殖细胞核抗原（PCNA）。
所有肿瘤均观察到c-myc免疫反应性，13例中有12例肿瘤细胞免疫阳性率超过10%；11例发现bcl-2免疫反应性，其中6例肿瘤免疫阳性细胞超过10%；5例发现c-jun表达，3例肿瘤免疫阳性细胞超过10%。只有2例肿瘤c-erb-B2免疫反应性呈胞质染色阳性。1例肿瘤c-erb-B3阳性。
癌基因c-myc、bcl-2和c-jun在部分颈动脉体瘤中异常表达，它们的表达可能与颈动脉体瘤的发生有关。
