[Significance of immunohistochemistry for neuro-oncology. VI. Occurrence, localization and distribution of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) in 820 tumors].
In a retrospective study 820 tumors were immunohistochemically examined with anti-GFAP. All 224 astrocytomas and 105 of 112 glioblastomas were, at least focally, positive. 72% of ependymomas and 64% of oligodendrogliomas contained tumor cells which expressed GFAP. In such entities the reaction is dependent on the histologic subtype. Only 26 of 114 medulloblastomas (22.8%) demonstrated scattered GFAP positive cells. GFAP was also demonstrated in the CNS in gangliogliomas, monstrocellular sarcomas, 3 of 6 PNET, one non-classifiable tumor in a child, 1 plexus papilloma, in scattered stromal cells in 15 of 26 hemangioblastomas as well as in the mature glial component of intracranial germ cell tumors. Outside of the CNS there was evidence of GFAP in 3 cases with nasal glial heterotopy and in the myxoidal part of a pleomorphic salivary gland adenoma. Neoplasms which proved negative to GFAP in our series included purely neural differentiated tumors meningioma, neurolemmomas, chordomas, paragangliomas, sarcomas, lymphomas, melanomas and carcinoma metastases. Separating GFAP-positive reactive astrocytes from the actual tumor cells has proved to be a problem in the routine use of GFAP in differential diagnosis. Absence of an immunohistochemical response does not exclude a tumor of glial origin. Tissue samples which are too small, particularly in the case of anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas can give false negative results.
Institut für Pathologische Anatomie, Bereichs Medizin (Charité) der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DDR.
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Gottschalk
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Szymaś
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000473:pathology; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Bedeutung der Immunhistochemie für die Neuroonkologie. VI. Mitteilung: Vorkommen, Lokalisation und Verteilungsmuster des sauren Gliafaserproteins (GFAP) in 820 Tumoren.