J Pathol Transl Med.  2019 Jul;53(4):236-243. 10.4132/jptm.2019.03.21.

Serous Adenocarcinoma of Fallopian Tubes: Histological and Immunohistochemical Aspects

• Hyriavenko N
• Lyndin M
• Sikora K
• Piddubnyi
• Karpenko L
• Kravtsova
• Hyriavenko D
• Diachenko
• Sikora V
• Romaniuk A

• KMID: 2454603
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2019.03.21

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Although primary cancer of the fallopian tubes is a relatively rare type of tumor in female reproductive organs, its mortality is quite high. It is important to identify molecular and biological markers of this malignancy that determine its specific phenotype.
METHODS
The study was carried out on samples received from 71 female patients with primary cancer of the fallopian tubes. The main molecular and biological properties, including hormone status (estrogen receptor [ER], progesterone receptor [PR]), human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)/neu expression, proliferative potential (Ki-67), apoptosis (p53, Bcl-2), and pro-angiogenic (vascular endothelial growth factor) quality of serous tumors were studied in comparison with clinical and morphological characteristics.
RESULTS
ER and PR expression is accompanied by low grade neoplasia, early clinical disease stage, and absence of lymphogenic metastasis (p < .001). HER2/neu expression is not typical for primary cancer of the fallopian tubes. Ki-67 expression is characterized by an inverse correlation with ER and PR (p < .05) and is associated with lymphogenic metastasis (p < .01). p53+ status correlates with high grade malignancy, tumor progression, metastasis, negative ER/PR (p < .001), and negative Bcl-2 status (p < .05). Positive Bcl-2 status is positively correlated with ER and PR expression and low grade malignancy.
CONCLUSIONS
Complex morphologic (histological and immunohistochemical) study of postoperative material allows estimation of the degree of malignancy and tumor spread to enable appropriate treatment for each case.

Keyword

Carcinoma, serous; Neoplasms; Fallopian tubes; Estrogen receptor; Progesterone receptor; Ki-67; HER2/neu; p53; Bcl-2; Vascular endothelial growth factor

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma*
Apoptosis
Biomarkers
Fallopian Tubes*
Female
Humans
Mortality
Neoplasm Metastasis
Phenotype
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Receptors, Progesterone
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Biomarkers
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Receptors, Progesterone
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Serous adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube. (A) G1 (low degree of malignancy). (B) G2 (high degree of malignancy). (C) G3 (high degree of malignancy).

• 

  Fig. 2. Serous adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube. Immunohistochemical study of estrogen receptors (A, B), Ki-67 (C, D), p53 (E, F), and vascular endothelial growth factor (G, H) expression.

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  Fig. 3. Scheme mutant (mt) of p53 participation in carcinogenesis of primary cancer of the fallopian tubes. DNA damage and appearance of mt p53 proteins results in suppression of blocked apoptosis. Conversely, it also stimulates increased antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, which enhance the inhibitory effect on apoptosis. This is manifested in altered cell cycle regulation. All of these events lead to increased proliferative tumor activity and progression of malignancy.

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