Different staining patterns of ovarian Brenner tumor and the associated mucinous tumor

Abstract

The association of ovarian Brenner tumors and adjacent mucinous tumors is well known but not completely understood. In this study, we analyzed immunohistochemical markers on Brenner tumors and their associated mucinous tumor to explore Mullerian as well as Wolffian and germ cell derivation and determine if the mucinous component is independent or related to the Brenner tumor. Of 32 consecutive cases of Brenner tumors, 8 were identified with significant mucinous component, and 7 additional cases included foci of mucinous epithelium within the Brenner transitional nests. All Brenner tumors were diffusely positive for GATA3 and negative for Paired box gene 8, PAX2, and Sal-like protein 4. Interestingly, the areas of mucinous epithelium as well as mucinous tumors, intermixed and adjacent to the Brenner tumor, were negative for all 4 markers; however, occasional basal-like cells retained expression of GATA3. The immunoprofile of mucinous tumors associated with Brenner tumors shares the lack of Mullerian markers PAX2 and Paired box gene 8 with the Brenner tumor but differs in the expression of GATA3 only in the Brenner tumor component.

Keywords: Brenner tumor; GATA3; Mucinous tumor; Ovary; PAX8.