title: The oncofetal protein IMP3: a novel biomarker and triage tool for premalignant atypical endometriotic lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the oncofetal protein IMP3 is detectable in endometriomas with or without histological atypia and whether IMP3 staining can be used as a triage tool to identify foci of atypical endometriosis in doubtful cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic department and referral center for endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 516 women who underwent excision of 874 endometriomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histological review by three expert pathologists and immunohistochemical staining for IMP3.
  
  
  METHODS
  Test performance of IMP3 immunohistochemistry versus first-round histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of atypical endometriosis was 1.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9%-3.3%) based on the number of women and 1.0% (95% CI, 0.5%-1.9%) based on the number of cysts. Three cases of atypical endometriosis were identified at first-round histological examination. Immunohistochemistry detected seven of the eight cases diagnosed as preneoplastic atypia at second-round histology and one case diagnosed as reactive atypia at second-round histology. The sensitivity of first-round histology was 33.3%, compared with 88.9% of IMP3 immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunohistochemical staining for IMP3 expression is a simple, inexpensive, and sensitive test that can be used in routine clinical practice as a triage tool to discriminate between cytological/structural atypia and confounding benign conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istituto Luigi Mangiagalli, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Università degli Studi, Milan, Italy. paolo.vercellini@unimi.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vercellini
authors.forename: Fulvia Milena
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cribiù
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Gobbo
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Carcangiu
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somigliana
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bòsari
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014218:Triage
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C498780:IGF2BP3 protein, human; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins