DIFFERENTIATION OF ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE LUNG FROM MESOTHELIOMA - PERIODIC ACID-SCHIFF, MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES B72.3, AND LEU M1

  • 1 October 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 133  (1) , 30-38
Abstract
The immunohistochemical reactivity of 38 mesotheliomas and 44 adeno-carcinomas or large cell carcinomas of the lung with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) b72.3 and Leu M1 was compared with their reactivity with the routine histochemic stains periodic acid-Schiff with diastase digestion (PAS-D) and alcian blue .+-. hyaluronidase. Both MAbs reacted selectively with carcinomas when a positive test was set at .gtoreq. 10% reactive tumor cells. However, MAb B72.3 reacted with significantly more of the carcinomas (86%, chi-square test, P < 0.01) and bound to a greater percentage of tumor cells (47 .+-. 28%; mean .+-. SD, t-test, P < 0.001) than Leu M1 (57% and 25 .+-. 28%, respectively). The similar reactivities of surgically resected tumor specimens and post mortem tissues with both antibodies confirmed antigen stability and suggested broad clinical utility. PAS-D stained 61% of the carcinomas. Using the markers for carcinomas (PAS-D, B72.3, and Leu M1), the tumors were classified into the correct group in 80 of 82 (98%) cases (95% confidence level: > 92% accuracy). The alcian blue stain was useful to confirm a diagnosis of dimorphic or epithelial mesothelioma (48% were positive).