Endocrine liver tumour differential diagnosis from hepatocellular carcinoma

A liver tumour, initially diagnosed by light microscopy as a hepatocellular carcinoma, was later shown to be endocrine by argyrophilia and electron microscopy. It was tested by immunohistochemistry for insulin, glucagon, gastrin, VIP, pancreatic polypeptide, glicentin, C-peptide and somatostatin. A few cells were shown to contain somatostatin, but the secretion product in most of the cells was not identified. The patient is well, without any sign of endocrine disturbances, 18 months after the operation.