MOC31 Immunostaining in the Diagnosis of Metastatic Adenocarcinoma in Serous Fluid: Special Emphasis on Atypical Cytological Cases

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The diagnosis of atypical cases in the effusion cytology sample often poses a challenge to the cytologists. <b><i>Aims and Objectives:</i></b> We evaluated the diagnostic role of MOC31 in the metastatic adenocarcinoma in effusion fluid. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> The cytological examination and MOC31 immunostaining in the cell block sections were carried out in 64 cases of serous effusion. A total of 23 cases showed atypical cytology, out of which suspicious for malignancy (SFM) and atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) were 19 and 4 cases, respectively. In these cases, we also performed calretinin immunostaining. The cytological features, results of MOC31 immunostaining, and follow-up data were correlated to find out the sensitivity and specificity of MOC31 immunostaining in the diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma. <b><i>Result:</i></b> The sensitivity and specificity of MOC31 were 100%. MOC31 detected all the cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma. MOC31 showed strong positivity in 19 cases of SFM. All these cases had a malignant outcome in histopathology or follow-up data. In AUS cases, MOC31 immunostaining was negative with a benign outcome. In all the atypical but malignant cases calretinin stain showed diffuse cytoplasmic and nuclear positivity. In contrast, MOC31 showed strong membranous positivity and occasionally cytoplasmic positivity. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> MOC31 is an excellent marker of metastatic adenocarcinoma in the serous effusion. The membranous positivity of MOC31 and negative calretinin immuno­staining are helpful in atypical cytological cases to avoid the diagnostic dilemma. The MOC31 positivity is significantly useful in discrete atypical cells which are more challenging to recognize.