Mixed pituitary adenoma/pituitary neuroendocrine tumor-gangliocytoma: Immunohistochemical insights

Abstract Mixed pituitary adenoma/PitNET-gangliocytomas (PA/PitNET-GC) have been reported in small series over the past 20 years; some had limited immunohistochemistry (IHC) data. We interrogated our experience over 20 years, focusing on patterns of the GC component and IHC results for anterior pituitary hormones, transcription factors, NFP, and CAM5.2. A search of cases from 2002 to 2023 yielded 20 cases: 7M:13F, ages 20–71 years; 17 macroadenomas, 1 microadenoma, 2 ectopic. GC was co-associated with 4 corticotroph, 2 densely granulated lactotroph, 5 mixed lactotroph-somatotroph, 1 immature PIT1-lineage tumor, and 8 sparsely granulated GH; the latter all had a minor lactotroph component. Patterns were: discrete nodular foci of GC (9/20), extensive GC differentiation often overshadowing the PA/PitNET (7/20), and intimate admixture of smaller bands of neuropil and individual metaplastic ganglion cells within PA/PitNET (4/20). NFP highlighted small cohesive regions of neuropil and identified greater axonal content, including individual axons within “pure” PA/PitNET areas, than appreciated on H&E. CAM5.2 IHC often revealed cells with neuronal morphologies to a greater extent than NFP and in different areas within the same tumor. These data suggest that the combined use of NFP and CAM5.2 IHC best reveals transition from PA to GC phenotype, with CAM5.2 positivity reflecting earlier stages of transformation.