Immunohistochemical expression of BerEP4, a new epithelial antigen, in endometrial carcinoma: correlation with clinical parameters

Objective: To assess the immunochemical expression of BerEP4, a new epithelial antigen in endometrial carcinoma. Methods: We studied 45 cases of endometrial carcinoma in which the BerEP4, CEA and TAG-72 antigens were searched by an immunohistochemical method. We evaluated the correlations among the immunohistochemical positivity and the grading, histotype, stage and receptorial status of the neoplasia. Results: CEA was positive in 29 out of 45 cases (64.4%), TAG-72 in 17 out of 45 cases (37.7%) and BerEP4 in 31 out of 45 cases (68.9%). Both TAG-72 and CEA were inversely related to the grading while, with regard to the histotype, CEA resulted as highly positive in the 5 cases of adenoacanthoma. Conclusion: BerEP4 did not show any correlation with grading, histotype, stage of disease or receptorial status of the carcinoma.