Abstract
Purpose :
GATA-3 binding protein is a transcription factor for gene regulation in cellular development, which has been associated with estrogen receptor (ER) expression and is frequently utilized as a sensitive and specific immunomarker for urothelial and breast carcinomas. Subsequent studies have demonstrated GATA-3 expression in other neoplasms, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), but not in melanomas. It has yet to be studied in sebaceous carcinomas (SC), poorly differentiated cancers which commonly involve the eyelid and may be difficult to distinguish from other periocular malignancies and metastases. Our study aims to determine the expression of GATA-3 in cutaneous sebaceous neoplasms.
Methods :
Our database was searched from January 2003 to October 2015. We examined 77 periocular neoplasms including 20 sebaceous carcinomas (PSC), 19 sebaceous adenomas (PSA), 18 basal cell (PBCC) and 20 squamous cell carcinomas (PSCC). For comparison, we also studied 37 non-periocular sebaceous neoplasms including 19 carcinomas (NPSC) and 18 adenomas (NPSA). Histological sections were compiled into a tissue microarray and subjected to immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for GATA-3, as well as ER and PR (estrogen and progesterone receptors) and mammaglobin and GCDFP-15.
Results :
IHC analysis revealed GATA-3 expression in nearly all neoplasm studied, including 100% of PSA, NPSA, and PBCC; 95% of PSC and NPSC; and 80% of PSCC. ER expression was noted in 32% of NPSC, 10% of PSC, 6% of PSA, and 5% of PSCCs. ER was negative in all NPSA and PBCC. No PR positivity was noted in any neoplasm. In addition, GCDFP-15 and mammaglobin staining was negative in all cases.
Conclusions :
GATA-3 was expressed in the vast majority of periocular neoplasms, including PSC and PSA. Similar GATA-3 expression was noted in NPSC and NPSA. We conclude that GATA-3 is highly expressed in sebaceous carcinoma and adenoma. Most GATA-3 positive cases failed to correlate with ER positivity.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.