Napsin A is a specific marker for ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma.
Ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma has a relatively poor prognosis among the ovarian cancer subtypes because of its high chemoresistance. Differential diagnosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma from other ovarian surface epithelial tumors is important for its treatment. Napsin A is a known diagnostic marker for lung adenocarcinoma, and expression of napsin A is reported in a certain portion of thyroid and renal carcinomas. However, napsin A expression in ovarian surface epithelial tumors has not previously been examined. In this study, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in 71 of 86 ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma patients (83%) and all of the 13 patients with ovarian clear cell adenofibroma, positive napsin A staining was evident. No expression was observed in 30 serous adenocarcinomas, 11 serous adenomas or borderline tumors, 19 endometrioid adenocarcinomas, 22 mucinous adenomas or borderline tumors, 10 mucinous adenocarcinomas, or 3 yolk sac tumors of the ovary. Furthermore, expression of napsin A was not observed in the normal surface epithelium of the ovary, epithelia of the fallopian tubes, squamous epithelium, endocervical epithelium, or the endometrium of the uterus. Therefore, we propose that napsin A is another sensitive and specific marker for distinguishing ovarian clear cell tumors (especially adenocarcinomas) from other ovarian tumors.
1] Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan [2] Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Yoriko
Y
Yamashita
Department of Pathophysiological Laboratory Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Tetsuro
T
Nagasaka
Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Aya
A
Naiki-Ito
Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Shinya
S
Sato
Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Shugo
S
Suzuki
Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Shinya
S
Toyokuni
Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross First Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
Masafumi
M
Ito
Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Satoru
S
Takahashi
D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C498549:NAPSA protein, human