Immunohistochemistry plays an indispensable role in accurate diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, particularly in morphologically challenging cases and in biopsy and cytology specimens, where tumor architecture is difficult or impossible to evaluate. Application of a targeted panel of mesothelialand epithelial-specific markers permits correct identification of tumor lineage in the vast majority of cases.An immunopanel including two mesothelial markers (calretinin, CK5/6, WT-1, or D2-40) and two epithelial markers (MOC-31 and claudin-4) offers good sensitivity and specificity, with adjustments as appropriate for the differential diagnosis. Once mesothelial lineage is established, malignancy-specific studies can help verify a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. BAP1 loss, CDKN2A homozygous deletion, and MTAP loss are highly specific markers of malignancy in a mesothelial lesion, and they attain acceptable diagnostic sensitivity when applied as a diagnostic panel. Novel markers of malignancy, such as 5-hmC loss and increased EZH2 expression, are promising, but have not yet achieved widespread clinical adoption. Some diagnostic markers also have prognostic significance, and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry may predict tumor response to immunotherapy. Application and interpretation of these immnuomarkers should always be guided by clinical history, radiographic findings, and above all histomorphology.
Mesonephric carcinomas are rare adenocarcinomas of the female genital tract that occur most commonly in the uterine cervix. They are classically thought to arise from benign mesonephric remnants, and are rarely reported at other sites in the gynecologic tract. Here we present an interesting biphenotypic ovarian adenocarcinoma with intimately associated but distinct components of both low-grade serous carcinoma and mesonephric-like carcinoma. A serous borderline tumor was present adjacent to the invasive carcinoma, and no benign mesonephric precursors were identified. Numerous invasive peritoneal metastases were present, including multiple metastases with both low-grade serous and mesonephric-like elements. Consistent with recent reports, foci of mesonephric-like carcinoma were morphologically and immunohistochemically identical to classic mesonephric carcinoma of the cervix. On molecular analysis, the serous borderline tumor, primary and metastatic low-grade serous carcinoma, and primary and metastatic mesonephric-like carcinoma each harbored a shared NRAS p.Q61R hotspot mutation, shared gains in chromosome 1q and 18p, and shared losses in chromosomes 1p, 18q, and 22. These shared molecular features indicate a clonal relationship between all morphologic elements of this ovarian adenocarcinoma, suggesting that at least some mesonephric carcinomas may arise from Müllerian precursors.
Distinguishing malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) from serous carcinoma involving the peritoneum remains a diagnostic challenge, particularly in small biopsy and cytology specimens. In this distinction, PAX8 expression has been regarded as a specific marker of serous carcinoma. In addition, BAP1 loss is reportedly specific to MPM, in the distinction from both benign mesothelial lesions and ovarian serous tumors (OSTs). Using immunohistochemistry, we examined PAX8 and BAP1 expression in 27 MPMs, 25 cases of benign mesothelium, and 45 OSTs. Five MPMs were PAX8 (5/27, 18%), while 8 cases of benign mesothelium expressed PAX8 (8/25, 32%). PAX8 expression in mesothelium was significantly more common in women than in men (P=0.01). Sixteen MPMs exhibited BAP1 loss (16/25, 64%), while BAP1 was retained in all benign mesothelium and all OSTs. All cases of PAX8 mesothelium were negative for expression of estrogen receptor. These data show that PAX8 is expressed in both benign and malignant mesothelium, and that BAP1 loss is highly specific for MPM, in the differential with both benign mesothelial proliferations and OTSs. These results also have implications for primary diagnosis and for pathologic staging of OST. Caution should be applied when PAX8 expression is used to distinguish mesothelial and serous proliferations, and BAP1 loss may be confirmatory in cases where mesothelioma is favored.
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