title: Value of PAX 8 immunostaining in tumor diagnosis: a review and update.
abstract: PAX 8 is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of organogenesis of the thyroid gland, kidney, and Müllerian system. Recent studies have shown that, among tumors, PAX 8 is commonly expressed in epithelial tumors of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, kidney, thymus, and female genital tract. Although PAX 8 expression has also been reported in certain neuroendocrine tumors, including well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and duodenal and rectal carcinoids, as well as in B-cell lymphomas, it has recently been shown that the PAX 8 positivity reported in these tumors was due to a cross-reactivity of the antibody used with the N-terminal region of PAX 6 and PAX 5, respectively. Owing to its restricted expression, PAX 8 has proved to be a useful immunohistochemical marker with a wide range of diagnostic applications in surgical pathology, some of which are briefly reviewed.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA. nordonez@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Nelson G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Ordóñez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D000072636:PAX8 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D013945:Thymoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000072636:PAX8 Transcription Factor; C083325:PAX8 protein, human; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors