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Non-Leydig sex-cord tumors of the testis. The place of immunohistochemistry in diagnosis and prognosis. A study of twenty cases

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Abstract

In 20 sex-cord tumors of the testes, we investigated immunohistochemistry as a possible method for histopathological diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis. We examined the following molecules: inhibin, CD99, cytokeratin, vimentin, MIB-1, estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors. These tumors of the testes comprised 18 Sertoli cell tumors (ScT) and two undifferentiated sex-cord tumors (USCT). Four tumors have been considered as malignant, because of metastatic spread. Inhibin was expressed by the tumor cells in 80% of sex cord tumors, without any correlation to the degree of differentiation and only in 25% of the malignant cases. Inhibin is a specific marker for sex-cord tumors of the testis and is particularly useful for the diagnosis of USCT. CD99, vimentin, keratin, progesterone and estrogen receptors were expressed in, respectively, 60%, 75%, 35%, 65% and 20% of cases; 95% expressed one of the three following markers: inhibin, CD99 or vimentin. Proliferation index MIB-1 was equal to or higher than 30% in the four malignant cases versus less than 20% in other cases. Lack of inhibin expression and a proliferation index (MIB-1) greater than 30% should be considered as a criterion in favor of malignancy.

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  1. Service Central d’Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Groupe hospitalier Cochin—Saint Vincent de Paul, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint Jaques, 75679, Paris, Cedex 14, France

    Eva Compérat, Fréderique Tissier, Karine Boyé, Gonzague de Pinieux & Annick Vieillefond

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  1. Eva Compérat
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  2. Fréderique Tissier
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  3. Karine Boyé
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  4. Gonzague de Pinieux
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  5. Annick Vieillefond
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Correspondence to Annick Vieillefond.

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Compérat, E., Tissier, F., Boyé, K. et al. Non-Leydig sex-cord tumors of the testis. The place of immunohistochemistry in diagnosis and prognosis. A study of twenty cases. Virchows Arch 444, 567–571 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-004-1017-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-004-1017-1

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