title: CD34 and α smooth muscle actin distinguish verrucous hyperplasia from verrucous carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the use of stromal biomarkers CD34 and α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) to distinguish verrucous carcinoma (VC) from verrucous hyperplasia (VH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen VH, 15 VC, 20 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 16 of uninvolved adjacent stroma specimens were analyzed for α-SMA and CD34 expression by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stromal α-SMA positivity was observed in 100% (20 of 20) of the SCC and in 93% (14 of 15) of the VC, whereas none of the VH (0 of 13) or adjacent uninvolved stroma (0 of 16) demonstrated α-SMA reactivity. Stromal CD34 positivity was observed in 100% (13 of 13) of VH and adjacent stroma (16 of 16), while 20% (3 of 15) of VC and 11% (2 of 18) of SCC stroma expressed CD34. The SCC and VC groups differed significantly from the VH and uninvolved stroma groups for both α-SMA and CD34 expression (P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stromal CD34 and α-SMA protein expression patterns may aid in distinguishing between VC and VH in challenging cases.
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Paral
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pathology, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jerome B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Taxy
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: mark.lingen@uchospitals.edu.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lingen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018289:Carcinoma, Verrucous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor