The Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation

October 2018

STAT6 expression in Spindle Cell Lesions of the Breast: an Immunohistochemical Study of 48 cases

Author Information

Magro G(1), Spadola S(1), Motta F(1), Palazzo J(2), Catalano F(3), Vecchio G(1), Salvatorelli L(1).

(1)Dept of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, G.F. Ingrassia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Anatomic Pathology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy. (2)Dept of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA, USA. (3) U.O.C. Multidisciplinare di Senologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Cannizzaro Catania, Catania, Italy.

Publication

Path Res Pract

Summary

The diagnosis of spindle cell lesions of the breast parenchyma is challenging. Some of these lesions share the expression of CD34, posing differential diagnostic problems, especially in core biopsies. Recently, antibodies against the STAT6 C-terminal, are being used in paraffin-embedded tissues as a surrogate for identifying the NAB2ÐSTA6 fusion gene which is considered a specific molecular marker for solitary fibrous tumor. Accordingly, we investigated the expression of STAT6 in a large series of uncommon spindle cell tumor-like and tumor lesions occurring primarily in the breast parenchyma. We collected 10 classic-type myofibroblastomas, 9 desmoid-type fibromatosis, 6 spindle cell metaplastic carcinoma, 5 benign fibroblastic spindle cell tumors, 3 solitary fibrous tumors, 7 pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasias, 2 reactive spindle cell nodules, 1 leiomyoma, 1 spindle cell lipoma, 1 case of inflammatory pseudotumor, 1 nodular fasciitis, 1 myxoma and 1 dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. A diffuse and strong nuclear STAT6 expression was restricted only to solitary fibrous tumors, while the other lesions were negative or showed only weak cytoplasmic expression. The present study confirms that the demonstration of a diffuse and strong STAT6 nuclear staining is very helpful in distinguishing solitary fibrous tumor from other spindle cell mimics arising in the breast.

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