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. 2007 Aug 6;97(3):412-9.
doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603867. Epub 2007 Jun 26.

Foetal haemoglobin-blood cells (F-cells) as a feature of embryonic tumours (blastomas)

M Wolk  1 , J E Martin, M Nowicki
Affiliations

Foetal haemoglobin-blood cells (F-cells) as a feature of embryonic tumours (blastomas)

M Wolk et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Tumour markers are important in the diagnosis and monitoring of many tumours. This study tested the hypothesis that an oncofoetal protein, foetal haemoglobin (HbF) is a potential tumour marker in embryonic tumours, useful for management. An immunohistochemical investigation of HbF blood cell (Fc) distribution was carried out in tumours and in bone marrow samples from 83 children and 13 adults with various embryonic tumours (blastomas), and in bone marrow samples of 24 leukaemia patients. In the three, main blastoma types, nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumour), neuroblastoma and retinoblastoma, where all the patients, except two, were children, around 80% of the tumour samples had Fc within proliferating blood vessels and spaces between tumour cells. In parallel, clusters of Fc, mostly F-erythroblasts (Feb), were distributed in the bone marrow of some of those patients and in the bone marrow of 79% of the leukaemia patients. Foetal haemoglobin, as well as being a potential prognostic cancer marker, is a potential indicator of DNA hypomethylation implicated in the development of these tumours, as well as in others previously noted for the presence of HbF.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Nephroblastoma. (A) Large blood vessel in tumour tissue, containing 20% Fer. Calibration bar, 50 μm. (B) Tubular differentiating area with proliferating blood vessels full of Fc. Calibration bar, 50 μm. (C) Fc within glomeruloid body. Arrow indicates one Feb. Calibration bar, 25 μm.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Retinoblastoma. (A) Proliferating blood vessels full of Fc. Thirty percent are (nucleated) Feb, two of which are indicated by arrow. Calibration bar, 50 μm. (B) A condensation of extravascular Fc (indicated by arrow) between the two blood vessels of Fc. Calibration bar, 50 μm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Infiltrating Fc (orange immunostained) in neuroblastoma of the brain. To the left is a brain tissue free of Fc. Calibration bar, 50 μm. (B) Neurofibroma; an example of congested Fc in a necrotic area (bellow) and Fc infiltrated into tumour tissue (above). Calibration bar, 50 μm.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rhabdomyosarcoma. Bone marrow with a network forming clusters of Fer and Feb. Arrows indicate two Feb in mitosis. Calibration bar, 50 μm.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Leukemia. (A) Bone marrow from hairy cell leukaemia with a large concentration of Feb and other dispersed. Feb and Fer. Calibration bar, 50 μm. (B) A cluster of Feb in a bone marrow from CML. Calibration bar, 25 μm.
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