title: Comparison of fascin expression in anaplastic large cell lymphoma and Hodgkin disease.
abstract: Diagnostic difficulties sometimes arise in distinguishing anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) from Hodgkin disease (HD), especially the syncytial variant. Study of the biologic features of diagnostic Reed-Sternberg cells in HD, in search of specific markers for Reed-Sternberg cells, has suggested fascin as a relatively specific and sensitive marker. We studied the frequency of fascin expression in 30 ALCLs and 34 cases of classic HD, including 17 cases of the syncytial variant. Staining with CD30 and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-1 also was performed in all cases. All ALCL and HD cases showed membranous and Golgi zone CD30 positivity. Fascin stained all HD cases but also stained 67% (20/30) of the ALCLs in a cytoplasmic pattern. Fascin positivity was observed in 59% (10/17) of T-cell ALCLs and 77% (10/13) of null-cell ALCLs; ALK-1-positive ALCLs, regardless of origin, were usually fascin-positive (91% [10/11]). In conclusion, fascin shows strong positivity in all cases of classic HD but also is positive in the majority of ALCLs, including ALK-1-positive and ALK-1-negative cases. Positive staining for fascin is not useful for distinguishing ALCL from HD. In some cases, fascin negativity may help rule out classic HD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Mail Code L471, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kotylo
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Neiman
authors.forename: Rita M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Braziel
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C020324:fascin; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases