OBJECTIVES: We present our experience on prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma and at once we practice an actualization and a critical review of Elbadawi's criteria. METHODS: After reviewing 206 prostatic carcinomas diagnosed in our hospital, we describe one case that fulfill criteria for being considered a prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma. We also carry out a wide literature review trying to define anew the including criteria of this tumour by the light of modern knowledge and technology. CONCLUSIONS: We think that for accepting a tumour as a prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, this have to fulfill the following criteria: 1. "More than 25% of a significative tumoral sample is mucinous pattern and present, single or clustered, tumour cells floating in immunohistochemically probed, acidic and neutral, mucin lakes". 2. "Tumour is Gleason 3-4 cribiform pattern with direct transition to colloid areas and usually coexist with classic adenocarcinoma but papillary growth patterns should be excluded. Tumour may contain a moderate proportion of signet-ring cells". 3. "Immunohistochemical staining for PSA have to be strongly positive in both, cribiform and mucinous, areas". 4. "Those PSA nonreactive, or only focally positive, mucinous adenocarcinomas, could be labeled as prostatic only when local or distant mucinous carcinomas are ruled out".
OBJECTIVES: We present our experience on prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma and at once we practice an actualization and a critical review of Elbadawi's criteria. METHODS: After reviewing 206 prostatic carcinomas diagnosed in our hospital, we describe one case that fulfill criteria for being considered a prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma. We also carry out a wide literature review trying to define anew the including criteria of this tumour by the light of modern knowledge and technology. CONCLUSIONS: We think that for accepting a tumour as a prostatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, this have to fulfill the following criteria: 1. "More than 25% of a significative tumoral sample is mucinous pattern and present, single or clustered, tumour cells floating in immunohistochemically probed, acidic and neutral, mucin lakes". 2. "Tumour is Gleason 3-4 cribiform pattern with direct transition to colloid areas and usually coexist with classic adenocarcinoma but papillary growth patterns should be excluded. Tumour may contain a moderate proportion of signet-ring cells". 3. "Immunohistochemical staining for PSA have to be strongly positive in both, cribiform and mucinous, areas". 4. "Those PSA nonreactive, or only focally positive, mucinous adenocarcinomas, could be labeled as prostatic only when local or distant mucinous carcinomas are ruled out".