Prevalence and Pattern of GATA3 Immunohistochemical Expression in Female Genital Tract Adenocarcinomas.

Background & objective: GATA3 immunohistochemistry has been described as a highly sensitive marker in determining carcinomas of breast and urothelial origin. In the gynecologic system, it can be used as a marker to diagnose mesonephric or mesonephric-like carcinomas and trophoblastic tumors. The present study was performed to determine the diagnostic value of GATA3 in gynecological adenocarcinomas.

Methods: A total of 187 samples from different types of endometrial, endocervical, and ovarian carcinomas were analyzed for intensity and percentage of GATA3 expression in tumor cells. The relationship between GATA3 expression and clinicopathological parameters was investigated.

Results: A total of 187 patients including 101 ovarian, 77 endometrial, and 9 endocervical adenocarcinomas were investigated. Weak and focal expression of this marker was observed in 5. 1% (4/77) endometrial, 12.9% (13/101) ovarian, and 11.1% (1/9) endocervical adenocarcinomas. The mean H score in all subtypes was less than 10.6 (2-35). There was no statistically significant correlation between GATA3 expression in tumor cells with clinical stage, and tumor recurrence or metastasis.

Conclusion: GATA3 is infrequently, weak, or focally expressed in most of the common gynecological adenocarcinomas.