Differential Diagnosis between Primary Endocervical and Endometrial Adenocarcinoma using Immunohistochemical Staining of Estrogen Receptor, Vimentin, Carcinoembryonic Antigen and p16.

Background: When clinical and histopathological evaluation is not effective in discriminating primary endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECAs) and endometrial adenocarcinoma (EMAs), an immunohistochemistry (IHC) method is regularly used in practice, which involves staining of estrogen receptor (ER), vimentin (Vim), monoclonal carcinoembryonic antigen (mCEA) and p16.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of IHC markers, ER, Vim, mCEA and p16, in differentiating between primary ECAs and EMAs and to compare the performances of two-, three- and four-marker panels.

Material And Method: Women with cervical or uterine cancers who were diagnosed with mucinous or endometrioid adenocarcinoma or adenocarcinoma of non-otherwise specified, after cervical biopsy, endometrial biopsy or curettage, and who underwent elective surgery at Rajavithi Hospital between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.