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Diagnostic tools for differentiating between pleural mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma in paraffin embedded tissue. Part I: immunohistochemical findings

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Abstract

Specimens of 27 histologically definite mesotheliomas and 34 proven adenocarcinomas were examined with a panel of 14 antibodies: pan-epithelial antibody Lu-5, anti-keratin-18, anti-keratin-7, Ber-EP4, anti-Leu-M1, HEA-125, anti-carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), anti-blood group-related antigens (anti-BGR A, B, H), B 72.3, anti-placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), anti-vimentin and BMA-120 used to determine their value in the differentiation between pleural mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma. Lu-5, anti-cytokeratin-7 and -18, B 72.3 and PLAP reacted in a high percentage of cases with both mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma. Anti-CEA and anti-Leu-Ml did not react with any of the 27 mesotheliomas tested but showed a reaction in 75% (anti-CEA) and 66% (anti-Leu-M1) of the lung adenocarcinomas. Seventeen percent of the adenocarcinomas and 96% of the mesotheliomas showed a positive reaction with anti-vimentin. Ber-EP4 was demonstrated in all lung adenocarcinomas, but only in 2 mesotheliomas in a focal manner (7%). HEA-125 and anti-BGR A, B, H reacted with 83% (HEA-125) and 75% (anti-BGR A, B, H) of the lung adenocarcinomas. The statistical parameters, sensitivity and efficiency were estimated and a normogram for judging the diagnostic power of a single antibody for the differential diagnosis of mesothelioma versus adenocarcinoma was developed. According to this, Ber-EP4, HEA-125, anti-BGR A, B, H and anti-CEA were, in descending order, the most powerful discriminatory antibodies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology of the University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, CH-4003, Basel, Switzerland

    H. Moch, M. Oberholzer, P. Dalquen & F. Gudat

  2. Institute of Pathology, Kanton Basel-Landschaft, Liestal, Switzerland

    W. Wegmann

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  1. H. Moch
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  2. M. Oberholzer
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  3. P. Dalquen
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  4. W. Wegmann
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  5. F. Gudat
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Moch, H., Oberholzer, M., Dalquen, P. et al. Diagnostic tools for differentiating between pleural mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma in paraffin embedded tissue. Part I: immunohistochemical findings. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 423, 19–27 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01606427

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01606427

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