Utility of surfactant protein B precursor and thyroid transcription factor 1 in differentiating adenocarcinoma of the lung from malignant mesothelioma.
Differentiation of malignant mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma, particularly from a lung primary, remains a difficult diagnostic problem. Surfactant protein B precursor (pro-SP-B) and thyroid transcription factor 1 (ITF-1) are expressed selectively in the normal respiratory epithelium and in adenocarcinomas of the lung. In this study, we evaluated the utility of pro-SP-B and ITF-1 in distinguishing pulmonary adenocarcinomas and malignant mesotheliomas. Immunoreactivity for pro-SP-B and TTF-1 was examined in paraffin sections of 370 primary lung carcinomas (208 adenocarcinomas, 101 squamous cell carcinomas, and 61 large cell carcinomas) and 95 malignant mesotheliomas, using a pro-SP-B antiserum and a monoclonal TTF-1 antibody with a biotin-streptavidin detection system. Immunostaining for pro-SP-B was detected in 57% of adenocarcinomas, and 20% of large cell carcinomas. Immunoreactivity for TTF-1 was shown in 76% of adenocarcinomas and 26% of large cell carcinomas. Malignant mesotheliomas and squamous cell carcinomas did not stain with either antibody. The expression of pro-SP-B and TTF-1 in adenocarcinomas of the lung but not in malignant mesotheliomas shows that pro-SP-B and TTF-1 staining is useful in differentiating these neoplasms.
Khoor
A
A
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center at the University of South Florida, Tampa 33612-9497, USA.
Whitsett
J A
JA
Stahlman
M T
MT
Olson
S J
SJ
Cagle
P T
PT
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
C000614412:NKX2-1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011510:Proteolipids; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C105511:surfactant protein B propeptide