title: Reactivity of B72.3 with adenocarcinomas. An immunohistochemical study of 476 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The monoclonal antibody B72.3 has been shown to react with several common types of adenocarcinoma. However, the distribution of B72.3 reactivity in adenocarcinomas has not been well-enough defined to determine whether B72.3 immunostaining would be helpful in the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of unknown origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Formaldehyde fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 476 adenocarcinomas from a variety of primary sites were studied using B72.3 and an avidin-biotin complex immunohistochemical technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  B72.3 immunoreactivity was seen in 75-100% of the adenocarcinomas from the ovary, endocervix, endometrium, distal esophagus/stomach, colon, lung, breast, prostate, pancreas, and bile ducts. Positive reactions were unusual in thyroid carcinomas (7%) and renal cell carcinomas (11%). B72.3 reactivity was not seen in the 20 hepatocellular carcinomas or 4 adrenal cortical carcinomas studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B72.3 reacts with a wide variety of adenocarcinomas. Immunostaining with B72.3 may be helpful in excluding hepatocellular carcinoma in certain clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Missouri Medical Center, Columbia 65212.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nashelsky
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C047052:tumor-associated antigen 72