BCA-225 immunostain: is it of value in liver fine needle aspiration?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the utility of BCA-225 immunostain in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other malignant tumors in liverfine needle aspiration specimens.


METHODS
Cell block materialfrom 87fine needle aspirates of liver lesions, including 25 HCCs, 9 neuroendocrine carcinomas, 12 adenocarcinomas metastatic from the colon, 19 other metastatic adenocarcinomas, 13 other metastatic tumors and 2 cholangiocarcinomas, were immunostained with BCA-225 antibody using both the EnVision avidin-biotin method (Dako U.S.A., Carpinteria, California, U.S.A.), and the traditional avidin-biotin method, without antigen retrieval. Three independent observers evaluated the cases, and a consensus was reached.


RESULTS
Strong immunostaining for BCA-225 in at least 10% of malignant cells was considered positive. Two of 25 HCCs, 9 of 19 adenocarcinoma metastases, 1 of 9 neuroendocrine carcinomas, 4 of 13 other metastases and 1 of 2 cholangiocarcinomas were positive. No colon metastases were considered positive.


CONCLUSIONS
BCA-225 may help exclude the diagnoses of metastatic colon adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma and well- to moderately differentiated HCC in this cytologic setting.
Williams
Susan S
SS
Department of Cytopathology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
Zimmerman
Robert L
RL
Bibbo
Marluce
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D013194:Staining and Labeling
C060363:BCA 225 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005404:Fixatives; D006023:Glycoproteins; D005557:Formaldehyde