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C‐ErbB‐2 Oncoprotein Immunostaining In Serous Effusions
Author(s) -
ASCOLI V.,
SCALZO C. CARNOVALE.,
NARDI F.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1365-2303
pISSN - 0956-5507
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2303.1993.tb00090.x
Subject(s) - medicine , serous fluid , immunostaining , pathology , immunohistochemistry
The product of c‐erbB‐2 gene is detected in a proportion of carcinomas from various sites and is generally associated with a high degree of malignancy. A series of 58 effusions containing malignant cells and 16 cytologically negative serous effusions was assessed by immunocyto‐chemical methods for c‐erbB‐2 expression using the monoclonal antibody NCL‐B11, which recognizes the internal domain of the c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein. Both alcohol‐fixed smears and cell blocks from formalin‐fixed specimens were used. A crisp, clear cut membrane‐associated positive staining was evident in 51 % (30/58) malignant effusions and was restricted to metastatic adenocarcinomas. Breast and ovarian cancers showed the highest incidence of positivity. Mesotheliomas as well as non‐neoplastic effusions were consistently negative. Paraffin blocks from formalin‐fixed cells displayed a weak immunoreactivity when compared with their alcohol‐fixed counterparts. the study shows that the c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein can be easily identified in standard cytological smears: it can be of assistance in differentiating adenocarcinomas from mesotheliomas, and in selected cases it can provide a further prognostic indicator, replacing tissue immunohistochemistry.