Display options
Cite
Shidham VB, Komorowski RA, Machhi JK. Androgen receptor expression in metastatic adenocarcinoma in females favors a breast primary. Diagn Pathol. 2006;1:34doi: 10.1186/1746-1596-1-34.
Shidham, V. B., Komorowski, R. A., & Machhi, J. K. (2006). Androgen receptor expression in metastatic adenocarcinoma in females favors a breast primary. Diagnostic pathology, 134. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1596-1-34
Shidham, Vinod B, et al. "Androgen receptor expression in metastatic adenocarcinoma in females favors a breast primary." Diagnostic pathology vol. 1 (2006): 34. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1596-1-34
Shidham VB, Komorowski RA, Machhi JK. Androgen receptor expression in metastatic adenocarcinoma in females favors a breast primary. Diagn Pathol. 2006 Oct 04;1:34. doi: 10.1186/1746-1596-1-34. PMID: 17020615; PMCID: PMC1601970.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Diagn Pathol. 2006 Oct 04;1:34. doi: 10.1186/1746-1596-1-34.

Androgen receptor expression in metastatic adenocarcinoma in females favors a breast primary.

Diagnostic pathology

Vinod B Shidham, Richard A Komorowski, Jinobya K Machhi

Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA. [email protected]

PMID: 17020615 PMCID: PMC1601970 DOI: 10.1186/1746-1596-1-34

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of metastatic mammary adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinomas from other primary sites can be challenging, particularly in tumors that are poorly differentiated and negative for Estrogen/Progesterone receptors (ER/PR). With progression of disease, Androgen receptors (AR) are preserved with higher frequency than ER/PR in metastatic mammary carcinoma. This study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic significance of AR expression in adenocarcinoma of breast and other morphologically similar adenocarcinomas.

DESIGN: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 113 primary adenocarcinoma of various sites [breast (34, all females), lung (23, M- 6, F-17), colon (9, M-2, F-7), stomach (6, M-4, F-2), liver and bile duct (11, M-5, F-6), pancreas (7, M-2, F-5), ovary (10), endometrium (7), and cervix (6)] were immunostained with monoclonal antibody for AR. Except for well differentiated lobular carcinoma of breast (5) and bronchoalveolar carcinoma of lung (10), majority of the tumors were moderately to poorly differentiated. Tumors immunoreactive for > or = 10% of nuclei were considered AR positive. However, AR immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm only was also recorded.

RESULTS: 56% (19/34) mammary carcinoma and 20% (2/10) adenocarcinoma of ovary were positive for AR. Remaining 69 adenocarcinomas did not show nuclear immunoreactivity for AR in > or = 10% nuclei; however, 52% (36/69) showed variable cytoplasmic immunoreactivity.

CONCLUSION: Significant proportion of mammary carcinomas and some ovarian carcinomas express AR in the nuclei of more than 10% tumor cells. If metastatic tumor with unknown primary in a female is AR positive, breast and ovary are the most likely primary sites. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity alone without nuclear immunoreactivity for AR was non-specific for this differential diagnosis.

References

  1. Ann Surg Oncol. 1994 Nov;1(6):495-503 - PubMed
  2. Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Jun;119(6):801-6 - PubMed
  3. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol. 1985 Apr;21(4):539-42 - PubMed
  4. Hum Reprod. 1992 Nov;7(10):1461-6 - PubMed
  5. Int Rev Cytol. 1975;41:87-172 - PubMed
  6. CA Cancer J Clin. 1995 Jan-Feb;45(1):8-30 - PubMed
  7. Am J Clin Pathol. 2002 May;117(5):745-50 - PubMed
  8. J Steroid Biochem. 1987 Mar;26(3):393-7 - PubMed
  9. Mod Pathol. 1997 Aug;10(8):839-45 - PubMed
  10. Histopathology. 1996 Sep;29(3):233-40 - PubMed
  11. Cancer Res. 1989 Dec 15;49(24 Pt 1):7162-7 - PubMed
  12. Mod Pathol. 2000 Feb;13(2):119-22 - PubMed
  13. Hum Pathol. 1993 Jan;24(1):90-5 - PubMed
  14. Mod Pathol. 1998 Nov;11(11):1122-6 - PubMed
  15. Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Nov;120(5):725-31 - PubMed
  16. Cancer. 1996 Mar 1;77(5):934-40 - PubMed
  17. Acta Cytol. 2002 Jul-Aug;46(4):651-8 - PubMed
  18. J Pathol. 1993 May;170(1):31-5 - PubMed
  19. J Histochem Cytochem. 1994 Jun;42(6):783-8 - PubMed
  20. Mod Pathol. 1998 Nov;11(11):1033-8 - PubMed
  21. J Histochem Cytochem. 1991 Jul;39(7):927-36 - PubMed
  22. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995 May;32(5 Pt 1):711-6 - PubMed
  23. J Urol. 1992 Mar;147(3 Pt 2):798-803 - PubMed
  24. Int J Cancer. 1992 Oct 21;52(4):581-4 - PubMed
  25. Anticancer Res. 1996 Nov-Dec;16(6B):3803-6 - PubMed
  26. Br J Cancer. 1996 Oct;74(8):1175-80 - PubMed
  27. Mod Pathol. 1995 Dec;8(9):897-901 - PubMed
  28. Am J Surg Pathol. 2000 Apr;24(4):579-86 - PubMed
  29. Hum Pathol. 1998 Dec;29(12):1428-32 - PubMed

Publication Types