Extrathoracic mesothelial proliferations and their mimics
Friday, April 28th, 2006.
Ultrastructural Pathology. 2006 Jan-Feb;30(1):37-51. [Link]
Josep Lloreta-Trull A1
A1 Department of Pathology, Hospital del Mar-IMAS-IMIM, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
Abstract
Mesothelial proliferations, either reactive or neoplastic in nature, often pose difficult diagnostic dilemmas. Electron microscopy continues to be a gold standard in the identification of mesothelial differentiation. However, it is very common to apply long panels of antibodies for that purpose. In most cases, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry will solve the problem. However, the definitive, specific, and sensitive immunohistochemical marker is still lacking. This is particularly true in peritoneal and testicular mesothelial tumors, in which common embryologic origin with epithelial elements results in overlapping immunohistochemistry and morphology. The particularities of peritoneal and testicular mesothelial proliferations, and the main tumors that may mimic them in these sites, as well as the value and limitations of immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy in their differential diagnosis are the subject of this review.
Keywords: electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, mesothelioma, mesothelium, ovarian tumors, peritoneal tumors, serosal carcinoma, serosal neoplasms, testicular tumors
Glossary
- differentiation
- (dif-er-en-she-A-shun) the normal process through which cells mature so they can carry out the jobs they were meant to do. Cancer cells are poorly differentiated.
- diagnosis
- identifying a disease by its signs or symptoms, and by using imaging procedures and laboratory findings. The earlier a diagnosis of cancer is made, the better the chance for long-term survival.
- carcinoma
- (car-sin-o-ma) a malignant tumor that begins in the lining layer (epithelial cells) of organs. At least 80% of all cancers are carcinomas.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
- peritoneal
- (pair-uh-tuh-nee-al) the serous membrane that lines the cavity of the abdomen. (More on Peritoneal Mesothelioma.)
