title: Immunohistochemical panel for distinguishing esophageal adenocarcinoma from squamous cell carcinoma: a combination of p63, cytokeratin 5/6, MUC5AC, and anterior gradient homolog 2 allows optimal subtyping.
abstract: Distinguishing adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is often based on morphological criteria and can be difficult in small biopsies. We analyzed commonly used immunohistochemical markers (p63, cytokeratin 5/6, cytokeratin 7, CDX2, MUC2, and MUC5AC) and 2 new markers, anterior gradient homolog 2 and SOX2, in esophageal carcinomas to establish the best panel to distinguish these tumors. Tissue microarrays with 69 esophageal adenocarcinomas and 41 whole sections of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were stained for these markers and semiquantitatively scored. Sensitivities and specificities were calculated for individual markers and select combinations using the morphological diagnosis as a gold standard. All squamous cell carcinomas expressed p63 with 38 of 41 demonstrating reactivity in more than 75% of tumor cells. Cytokeratin 5/6 expression was seen in 40 of 41 squamous cell carcinomas with 39 of 41 demonstrating reactivity in more than 75% of tumor cells. SOX2 expression was present in 35 of 41 of squamous cell carcinomas but also in 24 of 69 of adenocarcinomas, frequently demonstrating extensive reactivity in adenocarcinomas. Anterior gradient homolog 2 was highly sensitive for adenocarcinoma and present in 68 of 69 of cases, but anterior gradient homolog 2 reactivity was also identified in 15 of 41 of squamous cell carcinomas, typically demonstrating focal reactivity in squamous cell carcinoma. MUC5AC expression was seen almost exclusively in adenocarcinomas with only a single squamous cell carcinoma demonstrating focal MUC5AC staining. Overall, the dual expression of both p63 and cytokeratin 5/6 was 99% specific and 98% sensitive for squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, anterior gradient homolog 2 and MUC5AC are useful positive markers of adenocarcinoma in the setting of absent or diminished p63 and cytokeratin 5/6 staining.
authors: Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: DiMaio
authors: Shirley
authors: S
authors: Kwok
authors: Kelli D
authors: KD
authors: Montgomery
authors: Anson W
authors: AW
authors: Lowe
authors: Reetesh K
authors: RK
authors: Pai
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055271:Mucin 5AC / Q000378:metabolism*; D009088:Mucoproteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C502296:AGR2 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009088:Mucoproteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C115051:TP63 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D007633:Keratins