SATB2 is a sensitive marker for lower gastrointestinal well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors.
Special AT-rich sequence binding protein-2 (SATB2) is selectively expressed in the lower gastrointestinal tract mucosa and has been identified as a sensitive marker for colorectal adenocarcinomas. The goal of this study was to investigate the expression of SATB2 in well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors to explore its potential as a diagnostic marker for hindgut well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. Immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody to SATB2 was performed on full tissue blocks in 167 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors of various origins. The staining was semi-quantitatively scored as 0 (no tumor cell staining), 1+ (1-25%), 2+ (26-50%), 3+ (51-75%) and 4+ (76-100%). Positive SATB2 staining was seen in 17% foregut (14/84, 12/66 primary and 2/18 metastatic), 12% midgut (3/22, 3/18 primary and 0/7 metastatic), and 90% hindgut (52/58, 44/49 primary and 8/9 metastatic) well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. Most hindgut well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (41/58) showed 4+ staining. The specificity of SATB2 for foregut, midgut and hindgut well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors was 34%, 54% and 84%, respectively. Our results indicate that SATB2 is a sensitive marker for hindgut well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors though it is not entirely specific. SATB2 should be included in the immunohistochemical panel in working out metastatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor of an unknown origin.
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Zhongwu
Z
Li
Department of Pathology, The Chinese PLA General Hospital Beijing, China.
Jing
J
Yuan
Department of Pathology, The Chinese PLA General Hospital Beijing, China.
Lixin
L
Wei
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Lixin
L
Zhou
Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University Guangdong, China.
Kaiyong
K
Mei
Department of Pathology, Hubei Cancer Hospital Wuhan, China.
Junqiu
J
Yue
Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jilin University Changchun, China.
Hongwen
H
Gao
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Miao
M
Zhang
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Ling
L
Jia
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Qiang
Q
Kang
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China.
Xiaozheng
X
Huang
Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beijing Cancer Hospital) Beijing, China ; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine St Louis, Missouri 63017, USA.
Dengfeng
D
Cao
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000556:secondary; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D036961:Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D036961:Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins; C521297:SATB2 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors
SATB2; foregut; hindgut; midgut; well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor