Uterine tumour resembling ovarian sex cord tumour is an immunohistochemically polyphenotypic neoplasm which exhibits coexpression of epithelial, myoid and sex cord markers

Abstract

Aims: To describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical findings in four cases of uterine tumour resembling ovarian sex cord tumour (UTROSCT).

Methods: Four UTROSCTs were stained with a wide range of antibodies, including epithelial (AE1/3, epithelial membrane antigen), myoid (desmin, α smooth muscle actin, h-caldesmon), sex cord (α inhibin, calretinin, melan A, CD99) and neuroendocrine (chromogranin, CD56) markers as well as hormone receptors (oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor), vimentin, CD10, WT1 and HMB45.

Results: The tumours ranged from 0.8 to 19.5 cm. Three were relatively well circumscribed intramural myometrial lesions; the other was a pedunculated mass attached to the uterine serosa. The tumours were variably composed of solid, corded, trabecular, nested, glandular and retiform arrangements of tumour cells. In three cases, cells with eccentric nuclei and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, resulting in a rhabdoid appearance, were a prominent feature. Three cases were diffusely positive with AE1/3 and all with epithelial membrane antigen. Positivity with myoid markers was common with 3, 4 and 1 case respectively staining with desmin, α smooth muscle actin and h-caldesmon; 2, 4, 1 and 2 cases respectively were positive with α inhibin, calretinin, melan A and CD99. All were chromogranin negative and exhibited diffuse strong staining with CD56. All were diffusely positive with oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, vimentin and WT1. Three cases were androgen receptor positive and all were CD10 and HMB45 negative.

Conclusions: UTROSCT exhibits a polyphenotypic immunophenotype with coexpression of markers of epithelial, myoid and sex cord lineage as well as hormone receptors.