The core four - A panel of immunohistochemistry markers to diagnose and subtype testicular germ cell tumors.

CONTEXT

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) to differentiate germ cell tumors.

AIMS

The aim of the study is to differentiate seminomatous and nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (GCTs) with morphological overlap using a minimal and affordable panel of IHC markers.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This is a retrospective observational study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

All testicular GCTs (TGCT) which were diagnosed on biopsies and/or resection specimens (prechemotherapy) between January 2014 and June 2019. The demographic, clinical, and imaging findings were noted from the medical records. Hematoxylin and eosin (H and E)-stained sections were reviewed for morphology. The IHC markers constituted Octamer-binding transcription factor (OCT) 3/4, glypican 3 (GPC3), CD117, CD30, placental-like alkaline phosphatase, Sal-like protein 4, and β-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). IHC markers were performed in various combinations depending on the morphology, and a panel constituting OCT 3/4, CD117, GPC3, and CD30 was performed on cases with diagnostic dilemma and morphological overlaps.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for suggested panel of IHC OCT 3/4, CD117, GPC3, and CD30.

RESULTS

The study included 36 patients with TGCT with a mean age of 27 (15-58) years. Nonseminomatous tumors were the most common (86%). The concise panel was performed in 20/36 (56%) tumors to resolve the diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for OCT3/4 were 80%, 55%, 31%, and 92% in seminomas and 65%, 100%, 100%, and 46% in embryonal carcinomas (EC), for CD117 was 89%, 82%, 73%, and 93% in seminomas and 60%, 77%, 60%, and 77% in yolk sac tumors (YST), for GPC3 was 95%, 90%, 95%, and 90% in YST, CD30 96%, 100%, 100%, and 91% in ECs, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Designing a novel concise and affordable IHC panel constituting OCT 3/4, CD117, GPC3, and CD30 has good sensitivity and specificity in differentiating seminomas, YST, and EC, respectively. Additional markers, namely β-HCG, can be used in identifying the choriocarcinoma component.