Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma with EWSR1-ATF1 fusion gene: report of three cases with molecular analyses

Takafumi Nakano, Hidetaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Nishijima, Sadafumi Tamiya, Hideki Shiratsuchi, Torahiko Nakashima, Shizuo Komune, Yoshinao Oda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) is a low-grade salivary gland carcinoma characterized by clear cells and hyalinized stroma. Recently, the EWSR1-ATF1 fusion gene was found in HCCCs. We herein describe three cases of HCCC identified in one male and two females, ranging in age from 27 to 67 years. The tumors were located in the root of tongue, nasopharynx, and soft palate. They were composed of nested or cord-like proliferations of epithelial cells with clear to pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, embedded in hyalinized and focally fibroedematous stroma. Tumor-associated lymphoid proliferation and pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia were also observed in each one case. MAML2 fusions specific to mucoepidermoid carcinoma were not detected in any of the three cases. We found EWSR1-ATF1 in two of three HCCCs using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with our original primer sets designed to detect the fusion gene transcripts in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. EWSR1 rearrangement was also confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on FFPE sections in two cases. There was a good concordance between the two methods (two positive cases and one negative case by both RT-PCR and FISH). Therefore, RT-PCR and FISH using FFPE tissue may be ancillary tools to confirm the diagnosis of HCCC.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)37-43
Number of pages7
JournalVirchows Archiv
Volume466
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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