Utility of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β as a diagnostic marker in ovarian carcinomas with clear cells.

AIMS

Overexpression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β) has been found in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) but not in other types of ovarian carcinoma. The aim of this study was to clarify whether the overexpression of HNF-1β is specific for OCCC, and does not occur in ovarian carcinoma with clear cell change.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Immunohistochemistry was performed on 178 ovarian carcinomas with clear cells (80 OCCCs, 60 high-grade serous, 25 endometrioid, and 13 mixed endometrioid and clear cell), 22 ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas without clear cells, 41 renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and 20 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with clear cytoplasm. Results were evaluated using an H-score (percentage × intensity). Most OCCCs were diffusely and strongly positive (mean H-score 15.1). High-grade serous carcinoma and endometrioid carcinoma with clear cells were usually negative or focally and weakly positive (mean H-scores 1.5 and 1.7, respectively). High-grade serous carcinoma without clear cells had a mean H-score of 0.77. The mean H-scores of the endometrioid and clear cell components in mixed endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma were 6.2 and 15.7, respectively. HNF-1β was expressed in 95.1% of RCCs and in 30% of HCCs.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of ovarian carcinomas with clear cells can be made with greater accuracy by using the intensity and extent of immunoreactivity for HNF-1β.