The Common Expression of INSM1 in HPV-related Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas Is Not Associated With True Neuroendocrine Transformation or Aggressive Behavior.
Swati Bhardwaj, Brandon Veremis, Rocco Fernandino, Marshall Posner, William H Westra
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
INSM1 has rapidly emerged as a robust marker for neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation, prompting the use of INSM1 as a standalone marker for NE differentiation in various sites. INSM1 staining could be an especially practical tool for evaluating HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCCs) because high-grade NE transformation may be exceedingly difficult to recognize on morphologic grounds alone, even though it portends highly aggressive clinical behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of INSM1 expression in HPV-OPSCC and study its role in determining NE transformation and clinical aggressiveness. Forty-six consecutive nonselected HPV-OPSCCs were stained with INSM1 and synaptophysin. In addition, 2 clinically matched cohorts of aggressive (n=28) versus nonaggressive (n=26) HPV-OPSCCs were retrospectively stained with the INSM1 and synaptophysin to determine the prognostic significance of INSM1 staining. In all, 42% of HPV-OPSCC showed positive INSM1 staining, but synaptophysin was not co-expressed in even a single case. In selected cases based on clinical behavior, INSM1 staining was observed more frequently in nonaggressive than aggressive tumors (50.0% vs. 21.4%, P =0.03). INSM1 expression is a common finding in HPV-OPSCC and is usually not linked with true NE transformation or aggressive behavior. Indeed, INSM1 expression is more commonly observed in nonaggressive cancers. Reliance on INSM1 staining alone in recognizing NE differentiation in HPV-OPSCC could be calamitous.
期刊介绍:
The American Journal of Surgical Pathology has achieved worldwide recognition for its outstanding coverage of the state of the art in human surgical pathology. In each monthly issue, experts present original articles, review articles, detailed case reports, and special features, enhanced by superb illustrations. Coverage encompasses technical methods, diagnostic aids, and frozen-section diagnosis, in addition to detailed pathologic studies of a wide range of disease entities.
Official Journal of The Arthur Purdy Stout Society of Surgical Pathologists and The Gastrointestinal Pathology Society.