title: Immunohistochemical expression of keratan sulfate: a possible diagnostic marker for carcinomas of the female genital tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors previously reported the expression of keratan sulfate (KS), a glycosaminoglycan, in the epithelium of normal and neoplastic endometria. The aim of this study was to evaluate its potential use as a diagnostic marker, and the expression of KS was investigated in other human epithelial tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression was examined immunohistochemically using 102 samples of normal epithelia and 110 samples of carcinomas from the female genital tract (FGT; cervix, endometrium, ovary, fallopian tube), digestive organs (gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver), urinary tract, lung, mammary gland, thyroid and mesothelium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal tissues, KS was consistently detected in the FGT and ectopic endometrium (25/26), but was not found in the digestive organs (1/42) and urinary tract (0/6), and was only partly detected in the lung (7/10), mammary gland (3/9) and thyroid (4/4). In malignant tissues, KS was consistently observed in carcinomas of the endometrium, ovary and fallopian tube (29/32), and was partly detected in carcinomas of the lung, mammary gland, thyroid, pancreas and mesothelium, but was absent in carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract (0/17), liver (0/5) and urinary tract (0/11). Among carcinomas of the FGT, digestive organs and urinary tract, KS positivity suggested the possibility of FGT carcinomas, with 79.5% (31/39) sensitivity and 92.9% (39/42) specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KS is a potentially useful marker for the supportive diagnosis of the primary site of metastatic carcinomas or unknown primary carcinomas, especially in the abdominal cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shinshu University School of medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. tmiya@shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Ryouichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asaka
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takatsu
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: Tanri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007632:Keratan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007632:Keratan Sulfate