Usefulness of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and BRCA-associated protein 1 immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma in effusion cytology specimens

Cancer Cytopathol. 2020 Feb;128(2):126-132. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22221. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

Abstract

Background: The separation of benign from malignant mesothelial proliferations on effusion cytology can be difficult. Loss of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) by immunohistochemistry is an established marker of malignancy in mesothelial proliferations, but to the authors' knowledge largely has been applied only to biopsies. The current study was conducted to determine the usefulness of MTAP immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma in effusion cytology specimens.

Methods: A total of 21 effusion cytology cases of malignant mesothelioma were stained for MTAP and BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1), with 15 reactive mesothelial cytology cases used as a control. Fourteen cases had a paired surgical specimen for comparison, and 7 cases were run for CDKN2A deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Results: Complete loss of MTAP cytoplasmic staining was noted in 7 of 21 effusion samples (33%), and no loss was observed in 11 effusion samples (52%); 11 of these cases had a matching surgical specimen and all 11 specimens demonstrated the same MTAP pattern. Partial loss was observed in 3 effusion specimens (80%, 40%, and 40% intact staining, respectively), but in all 3 the surgical specimen demonstrated 100% staining. None of the 15 reactive mesothelial cytology specimens demonstrated MTAP cytoplasmic loss. CDKN2A FISH demonstrated concordance in 5 of 7 cases (71%). MTAP immunohistochemistry had a sensitivity of 33% and a specificity of 100% for this differential diagnosis.

Conclusions: MTAP staining demonstrated generally good concordance between the cytologic and surgical specimens and appears to be useful in the diagnosis of mesothelioma on effusion specimens. Complete loss of MTAP is a reliable marker of malignancy, but the significance of partial loss of MTAP staining is unclear.

Keywords: BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1); CDKN2A fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH); effusion cytology; malignant mesothelioma; methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP); reactive mesothelial proliferation.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Biopsy
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / analysis
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / genetics
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry*
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery
  • Mesothelioma / diagnosis*
  • Mesothelioma / genetics
  • Mesothelioma / pathology
  • Mesothelioma / surgery
  • Mesothelioma, Malignant
  • Pleural Cavity / pathology
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / diagnosis*
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / genetics
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / pathology
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / surgery
  • Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase / analysis*
  • Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / analysis*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / analysis*
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / metabolism

Substances

  • BAP1 protein, human
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CDKN2A protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase
  • 5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase