SALL4 is a novel sensitive and specific marker of ovarian primitive germ cell tumors and is particularly useful in distinguishing yolk sac tumor from clear cell carcinoma.

摘要: Ovarian primitive germ cell tumors (GCTs) are uncommon and sometimes pose diagnostic challenges. Among them, yolk sac tumor (YST) poses the greatest difficulty can be mistaken for clear carcinoma (CCC). Current immunohistochemical markers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), glypican-3, cytokeratin (CK) 7, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) used to distinguish YST from CCC lack adequate sensitivity specificity. Here by immunohistochemistry, we investigated a novel marker SALL4 in 98 GCTs (29 YSTs, 18 dysgerminomas, 6 gonadoblastomas, embryonal carcinomas, 15 immature 12 mature teratomas, 7 carcinoid tumors, 3 strumal carcinoids, 2 struma ovarii) with particular interest of exploring CCC. One hundred sixty-three non-GCTs including 45 CCCs were also stained. We found that is strongly positive more than 90% cells all carcinomas. Variable staining seen 11 teratomas. All other included this study negative SALL4. Except focal (<15% cells), remaining 160 non-GCTs. compared AFP, CK7, EMA YSTs CCCs. AFP glypican-3 24 (83%) 20 (69%) respectively, whereas 16 (35%) 13(28%) show staining, respectively. Three (10%) 4 (14%) (<2% cells) CK7 but (7%) 1 (2%) cases less 30% cells, Our findings indicate sensitive specific ovarian GCTs. particularly useful distinguishing better EMA.