Epidermal growth factor receptor and c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein expression in female genital tract carcinosarcomas (Malignant mixed müllerian tumors): Clinicopathologic study of 82 cases

Abstract

p185erbB-2 overexpression in both CC and SC of FGTCS suggests a common carcinogenic mechanism for both components and supports the conversion-histogenesis hypothesis implicating a dominant role for the CC with the SC arising as a metaplastic change from the CC. EGFR may be expressed in either component and indicates aggressive biologic behavior; however, its prognostic utility is limited by its low predictive value for recurrence (40.3%), inability to foretell recurrence in good prognosis groups, and dependence on stage. High frequency of overexpression and dismal prognosis make FGTCS patients good candidates for trials of therapeutic strategies involving the p185erbB-2 receptor manipulations.

Molecular genetic evidence for the conversion hypothesis of the origin of malignant mixed Müllerian tumours

“…18 Immunohistochemistry, LOH, and mutational analysis confirmed the frequent involvement of TP53 in MMMTs. 5,16,17,19 In four cases, a strong nuclear p53 staining pattern of both the carcinomatous and the sarcomatous areas was observed, in agreement with previous reports. 5,16,17 Since mutant forms of p53 have a prolonged half-life and may accumulate to immunohistochemically detectable levels within cells, these findings suggest a TP53 mutation in these cases, as was confirmed by TP53 mutation analysis in three cases.…”

“…Support for the metaplastic conversion scenario can be found in the observation of stromal components showing epithelial antigen expression. 1,6,19,22,23 Apparently, the genetic programme for mesenchymal differentiation is retained in epithelial cells and can be transiently or stably activated. 24 The concept for such a metaplastic transformation of carcinomas is well accepted for biphasic tumours in other tracts.…”

Prognostic factors in ovarian carcinosarcoma: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 23 cases

“…Many investigators have reported an overexpression of the p53 protein immunohistochemically in a variety of human malignancies 14,21 , 29,30 . There have also been several studies investigating the immunohistochemical presence of p53 protein in female genital tract carcinosarcomas 23,24 , 27,28 , 31 . However, the majority of patients in the literature suffered from uterine carcinosarcoma, and the number of patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma was small.…”

Modeling High-Grade Serous Carcinoma: How Converging Insights into Pathogenesis and Genetics are Driving Better Experimental Platforms

“…Early studies of fallopian tube carcinomas noted TP53 and interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ) mutations (18, 19). However, a link to ovarian cancer was not proposed until pathologists systematically analyzed fallopian tubes from women carrying mutations in the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene.…”