MASH1: a useful marker in differentiating pulmonary small cell carcinoma from Merkel cell carcinoma.
Merkel cell carcinoma is the cutaneous counterpart of small cell carcinoma, and the most important differential diagnosis is cutaneous metastasis of small cell carcinoma of the lung. There have been a handful of studies reporting on the utility of a variety of immunohistochemical markers that distinguish between the two entities. Achaete-scute complex-like 1 (MASH1, ASCL1) is important in the development of the brain and the diffuse neuroendocrine system including pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. A recent study, using a cDNA array, identified Mash1 as one of the best classifier genes to differentiate pulmonary small cell carcinoma from Merkel cell carcinoma. We immunohistochemically applied this finding to the diagnostic setting. A total of 30 cases of Merkel cell carcinoma and 59 cases of small cell carcinoma of the lung were immunostained with anti-MASH1 and TTF-1 antibodies. Of 59 small cell carcinomas, 49 (83%) expressed MASH1 in nuclear staining whereas out of 59 small cell carcinomas, 43 (73%) expressed TTF-1 in nuclear staining. MASH1 was completely negative in all 30 Merkel cell carcinomas whereas TTF-1 expression was seen in 1 of the 30 Merkel cell carcinomas (3%). MASH1 is a useful adjunct marker for differentiating small cell carcinoma of the lung from Merkel cell carcinoma.
Ralston
Jonathan
J
Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Chiriboga
Luis
L
Nonaka
Daisuke
D
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C065500:ASCL1 protein, human; C504003:TTF1 protein, human