title: Usefulness and limitations of alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase expression in the hepatobiliary system and pancreas: a wide tissue microarray analysis of normal and neoplastic epithelia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the frequency, significance and clinical utility of alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) expression in the hepatobiliary system by performing a wide immunohistochemical screening of AMACR expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 204 neoplastic, preneoplastic and normal samples from the hepatobiliary and pancreatic system were immunohistochemically studied on tissue microarrays for AMACR expression and correlated with clinicopathologic parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) showed intense AMACR expression, which was significantly stronger than in nonmalignant tissues and correlated with good differentiation but not with evolution. Weak AMACR expression was observed in cholangiocarcinomas and preneoplastic pancreatic lesions. HCC showed stronger expression than cholangiocarcinomas and ductal pancreatic adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AMACR is strongly expressed in some neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the hepatobiIiary system, mainly HCC, and may play a role in malignant transformation and be useful in the differential diagnosis.
authors: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hospital Clinic and August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Mozos
authors: Manel
authors: M
authors: Sole
authors: Rosa
authors: R
authors: Miquel
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Petit
authors: Alfons
authors: A
authors: Nadal
authors: Pedro Luis
authors: PL
authors: Fernández
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor