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Arginase‐1 is a more sensitive marker of hepatic differentiation than HepPar‐1 and glypican‐3 in fine‐needle aspiration biopsies
Author(s) -
Fujiwara Mika,
Kwok Shirley,
Yano Hirohisa,
Pai Reetesh K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
cancer cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.29
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1934-6638
pISSN - 1934-662X
DOI - 10.1002/cncy.21190
Subject(s) - glypican 3 , arginase , hepatocellular carcinoma , pathology , medicine , hccs , adenocarcinoma , fine needle aspiration , cancer research , biopsy , biology , cancer , biochemistry , arginine , amino acid
BACKGROUND: Distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from adenocarcinoma in fine‐needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) is often diagnostically challenging. Arginase‐1 was recently described as a marker of hepatic differentiation in surgical resection specimens. We compared the expression of arginase‐1, HepPar‐1, and glypican‐3 in FNAB of HCC and adenocarcinoma involving the liver. METHODS: Ninety‐eight FNABs including 37 primary or metastatic HCCs (30 well or moderately differentiated and 7 poorly differentiated) and 61 adenocarcinomas involving the liver were evaluated for immunohistochemical expression of arginase‐1, HepPar‐1, and glypican‐3 using formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded cell block material. RESULTS: Arginase‐1 was more sensitive (81%) than HepPar‐1 (70%) or glypican‐3 (54%) for HCC. Arginase‐1 more often demonstrated diffuse staining, defined as reactivity in >50% of the tumor, in HCC (21 of 37; 57%) compared with HepPar‐1 (15 of 37; 41%) and glypican‐3 (12 of 37; 32%). Of the 7 poorly differentiated HCCs, 3 (43%) were immunoreactive for both arginase‐1 and glypican‐3, whereas only 1 (14%) demonstrated HepPar‐1 staining. Arginase‐1 expression was identified in adenocarcinomas of pancreatic, colorectal, and breast origin, and reactivity was diffuse in 2 pancreatic adenocarcinomas (2 of 15; 13%). CONCLUSIONS: Arginase‐1 is a more sensitive marker of hepatic differentiation than either HepPar‐1 or glypican‐3 in FNAB. In addition, arginase‐1 exhibits more diffuse staining in HCC than either HepPar‐1 or glypican‐3, making interpretation easier in limited FNAB samples. Arginase‐1 is not entirely specific for hepatic differentiation, as immunoreactivity can be identified in adenocarcinomas, particularly of pancreatic origin. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2012;. © 2012 American Cancer Society.