Sinonasal adenocarcinoma: immunohistochemical marking and expression of oncoproteins.
BACKGROUND
Relatively little is known concerning the immunohistochemical marking of sinonasal adenocarcinoma (SNA). The most clinically problematic tumors are those that seem histologically identical to colonic adenocarcinoma, a neoplasm that may metastasize to the sinonasal region. To determine whether differentiated immunohistochemical expression of keratins could differentiate primary from metastatic tumors and to understand the biology of these tumors, differentiated keratin and oncoprotein expression was investigated.


METHODS
Eleven patients with sinonasal adenocarcinoma were investigated for expression of cytokeratins 7 and 20 (CK7, CK20), AE 1/3, CAM 5.2, smooth muscle-specific actin, muscle-specific actin, desmin, S-100, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), p53, and HER-2/neu.


RESULTS
All sinonasal adenocarcinomas of intestinal type were cytokeratin 7 positive. None of the tumors showed myoepithelial differentiation. Strong HER-2/neu staining was seen in some tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Strong HER-2/neu staining in some cases suggests this oncogene may be involved in the genesis of SNA. Immunohistochemical staining with cytokeratin 7 may be potentially useful in differentiating primary from metastatic disease in sinonasal adenocarcinomas of the intestinal subtype.
Bashir
Amani A
AA
Department of Pathology-Head and Neck Surgery, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52292, USA.
Robinson
Robert A
RA
Benda
Jo A
JA
Smith
Russell B
RB
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015513:Oncogene Proteins