title: ERG rearrangement in small cell prostatic and lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Small cell prostatic cancer is a rare but aggressive disease. Currently, its histogenetic origin is unclear and its distinction from metastatic small cell lung cancer is challenging. The aim of our study was to determine whether the ERG rearrangement commonly observed in acinar prostatic cancer can distinguish small cell prostatic cancer from small cell lung cancer samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We assessed 15 small cell prostatic cancers and 22 small cell lung cancers for ERG rearrangement using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Commonly used and novel immunohistochemical markers (i.e. androgen receptor, calcium activated nucleotidase 1, Golgi phosphoprotein 2, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, CD56, epithelial membrane antigen, thyroid transcription factor 1, chromogranin A, synaptophysin and Ki67) were further studied. ERG rearrangement occurred in 86% of small cell prostatic cancers but in none of the small cell lung cancers and was the best marker to differentiate between both tumours (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ERG rearrangement is commonly observed in small cell prostatic cancer, supporting the hypothesis that ERG rearrangement occurs in aggressive prostatic cancers. Furthermore, the ERG rearrangement is the most significant marker to differentiate between small cell prostatic cancer and small cell lung cancer. Moreover, our data suggest that small cell prostatic cancer is not a tumour entity on its own, but a dedifferentiated variant of common acinar prostatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Veit J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Scheble
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Theresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilbertz
authors.forename: Ann-Cathrin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Stiedl
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reischl
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Falko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fend
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C072312:ERG protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG