ERG rearrangement in small cell prostatic and lung cancer.
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.
Scheble
Veit J
VJ
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Braun
Martin
M
Wilbertz
Theresia
T
Stiedl
Ann-Cathrin
AC
Petersen
Karen
K
Schilling
David
D
Reischl
Markus
M
Seitz
Gerhard
G
Fend
Falko
F
Kristiansen
Glen
G
Perner
Sven
S
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
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C072312:ERG protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG