title: Differential expression of CD44s and CD44v3-10 in adenocarcinoma cells and reactive mesothelial cells in effusions.
abstract: The detection of malignant cells in serous effusions obtained from patients diagnosed with cancer marks the presence of metastatic disease and is associated with a poor outcome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of CD44s and CD44v isoforms in the distinction between mesothelial cells and malignant epithelial cells in effusions. Fifty-nine fresh pleural and peritoneal effusions were studied. These consisted of 41 specimens from patients with known gynecological neoplasms, 9 from patients diagnosed with breast adenocarcinoma, and 9 effusions from patients with various nongynecological malignancies or tumors of unknown origin. Forty-three effusions contained malignant/atypical epithelial cells, and 16 effusions were diagnosed as reactive. Three effusions contained exclusively malignant cells. Specimens were stained with anti-CD44s, v3, v5, v6, v7 and v3-10. The presence of staining in cancer cells, benign mesothelial cells and lymphocytes was evaluated. CD44s immunoreactivity was seen in 10 of 43 (23%) cases in malignant/atypical epithelial cells and in 53 of 56 (94%) cases in benign cells. In contrast, CD44v3-10 was seen in 23 of 43 (55%) cases in malignant/atypical epithelial cells and in 3 of 56 (6%) cases in benign cells. We advocate the use of CD44s and CD44v3-10 immunostaining in diagnostic evaluation of difficult serous effusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Montebello. hberner@odont-uio.no
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Risberg
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nesland
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors