Abstract
Given that endometrial cancer (EC) is often the sentinel cancer for female Lynch syndrome patients, we have successfully implemented universal screening of ECs and have previously shown that this is the preferred method to identify these patients. However, during the course of universal screening of EC, we encountered 6 cases with an unusual pattern of mismatch-repair protein immunohistochemistry that has not been previously described in this setting. In these 6 cases, there was an abrupt loss of MLH1 and PMS2 expression in a portion of the tumor. In 3 cases, marked histologic differences were identified between the areas of the tumor with retained expression and areas with loss of expression. In 2 cases, the areas with loss of expression were of higher grade (1 demonstrated solid growth and the other demonstrated increased nuclear atypia with diffuse p53 expression). In 4 tumors, histologic features associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) were present, including increased intraepithelial lymphocytes. The areas with loss of and retained MLH1/PMS2 expression were separately microdissected and assessed for MSI and MLH1 promoter methylation. The areas with loss of MLH1 and PMS2 more commonly demonstrated MSI compared with the areas with intact expression (83% vs. 33%). MLH1 promoter methylation analysis demonstrated heterogenous hypermethylation, as all areas with loss of MLH1/PMS2 expression had more extensive methylation of MLH1 compared with those areas with retained expression. In summary, we describe the histologic and molecular features of 6 cases of EC with abrupt loss of MLH1 and PMS2 expression and demonstrate that heterogenous methylation of the MLH1 promoter results in this distinct and unusual pattern of immunohistochemical expression.
摘要
基于子宫内膜癌(EC)常是女性Lynch综合征病人的哨兵癌症,我们曾成功地对EC进行了广泛筛查,且结果显示这是一种可确定Lynch综合征病人的优先方法。然而,在对EC广泛筛查过程中,我们遇到6例错配修复蛋白免疫组化结果少见的EC,且这种免疫组化结果在EC中未见报道。这6例EC中,部分肿瘤MLH1和PMS2突然失表达。其中3例可见MLH1和PMS2表达与失表达区域存在明显的组织学差异,2例失表达区域是高级别(1例为实性生长,1例核非典型性伴弥漫p53表达)。4例肿瘤中可见微卫星不稳定相关的组织学特征,包括上皮内淋巴细胞增加。MLH1/PMS2失表达或表达区域分别进行微切割并评价MSI和MLH1促进子甲基化。与MLH1/PMS2表达区域相比,失表达区域有更加广泛的MLH1甲基化。总之。我们描述了6例伴MLH1和PMS2表达突然丢失的EC的分子和组织学特征,证实了MLH1促进子异质性甲基化导致了这种独特和少见的免疫组化表达模式。
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