title: Serous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify whether the various subtypes of serous cystic neoplasms (SCNs) of the pancreas can be distinguished from each other by marker profiles.
  
  
  METHODS
  The immunoprofiles of 13 SCNs were defined by using antibodies against cytoskeletal, neuroendocrine, hormone receptor, and mucin markers. In addition, we examined the expression of calrentinin and alpha-inhibin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SCN included 7 cases of serous microcystic adenomas (SMA), 3 cases of serous oligocystic ill-defined adenomas (SOIA), 1 case of solid serous adenoma (SSA), 1 case of von Hippel-Lindau-associated cystic neoplasm (VHL-CN), and 1 case of serous cystadenocarcinoma (SCC). These neoplasms are histologically similar, but differ in their localization, gross appearance, gender distribution, and biological behavior. The various types of SCNs showed a very similar immunoprofile, characterized by positivity for cytokeratins (100%) and negativity for vimentin and synaptophysin. Other markers that were commonly expressed in the SCNs were alpha-inhibin (85%), MUC1 (69%) and MUC6 (77%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that, despite their biologic differences, the various types of SCNs have the same (or a very similar) cell type and may therefore have a common direction of differentiation. A centroacinar origin is supported by the finding that a number of SCNs share MUC1 and MUC6 expression with pancreatic centroacinar cells. Alpha-inhibin, and MUC6 may be regarded as new markers for this type of pancreatic tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. yji@zshospital.com
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Xiu Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Akesu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sujie
authors.forename: Yun Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Da Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018293:Cystadenoma, Serous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor