Prostate gland & seminal vesicles
Nonneoplastic
Mucinous metaplasia
Author: Andres Matoso, M.D.
Last author update: 1 August 2016
Last staff update: 3 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2020, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Mucinous metaplasia
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Essential features | Epidemiology | Sites | Pathophysiology | Clinical features | Diagnosis | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Positive stains | Negative stains | Differential diagnosis | Additional referencesCite this page: Matoso A. Mucinous metaplasia. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/prostatemucousglandhyper.html. Accessed October 4th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Mucinous metaplasia is a form of glandular differentiation
Essential features
- Acini with tall, mucin filled cells with flat, basal pyknotic nuclei
- May occur as group of glands or single cells within glands
- More common in the periurethral area but very infrequent
- May mimic cancer but not associated with malignancy
- Resemble Cowper’s glands
Epidemiology
- Less than 1% of prostates show foci of mucin cell metaplasia
Sites
- Periurethral area
Pathophysiology
- Pathophysiology and etiology are unknown
Clinical features
- The only clinical significance is that it may mimic cancer in a needle biopsy
Diagnosis
- Morphology
Treatment
- Not required
- Mucinous metaplasia is a morphologica variant of the prostatic acini
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Acini with tall mucin filled cells with flat, basal pyknotic nuclei
Positive stains
Differential diagnosis
- The main differential diagnosis is with prostatic ductal adenocarcinoma
- In contrast to adenocarcinoma, mucinous metaplasia does not show an infiltrative growth pattern, usually does not display a prominent nucleoli and is positive for basal cell markers p63 and high molecular weight cytokeratin by immunohistochemistry
Additional references
