Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Apr:86:66-75.
doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2018.11.020. Epub 2018 Dec 8.

Variable somatostatin receptor subtype expression in 151 primary pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas

Helena Leijon  1 , Satu Remes  2 , Jaana Hagström  3 , Johanna Louhimo  4 , Hanna Mäenpää  5 , Camilla Schalin-Jäntti  6 , Markku Miettinen  7 , Caj Haglund  8 , Johanna Arola  2
Affiliations

Variable somatostatin receptor subtype expression in 151 primary pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas

Helena Leijon et al. Hum Pathol. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) and paragangliomas (PGLs) are neuroendocrine tumors that express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs), a phenomenon that constitutes a basis for tumor imaging and treatment with somatostatin analogues and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. We studied the immunohistochemical expression of SSTR1-5 in 151 primary tumors, including 14 metastasized and 16 SDHB-deficient tumors. SSTR2 and SSTR3 were most abundantly present in these tumors, whereas the tumors were mostly negative for SSTR1, SSTR4, and SSTR5. All metastasized PGLs (9/9), but only one metastasized PHEO (1/5), were strongly SSTR2 positive. SSTR3 expression was lower in metastatic tumors and tumors with a high proliferation rate (MIB1 ≥ 5%), but tumors had variable individual SSTR profiles. No correlation was found between SDHB status and SSTR expression. Our results suggest that new SSTR analogues with affinity for several SSTRs could be relevant for a subgroup of patients with these tumors. Better knowledge of tumor SSTR profiles could open the door for personalized imaging and treatment in the future. Because SSTR profiles vary in PHEOs and PGLs, individual analysis is required for each tumor.

Keywords: Immunohistochemistry; Metastatic; Paraganglioma; Pheochromocytoma; Somatostatin receptors; Succinate dehydrogenase B.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Examples of different SSTR1-5 scores. Original magnification ×400.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mean SSTR1-5 profiles in 151 PHEOs and PGLs. Strong ICH staining, 2; intermediate, 1; and negative, 0.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Mean SSTR1-5 profiles in 14 metastatic PHEOs and PGLs. Strong ICH staining, 2; intermediate, 1; and negative, 0.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Tischler AS. Pheochromocytoma and extra-adrenal paraganglioma: updates. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2008;132:1272–84. - PubMed
    1. Harari A, Inabnet WB III. Malignant pheochromocytoma: a review. Am J Surg 2011;201:700–8. - PubMed
    1. Choi YM, Sung TY, Kim WG, et al. Clinical course and prognostic factors in patients with malignant pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: a single institution experience. J Surg Oncol 2015;112:815–21. - PubMed
    1. Tischler AS, de Krijger RR, Gill A, et al. Pheochromocytoma, extra-adrenal paragangliomas. In: Lloyd RV, Osamura RY, Klöppel G, Rosai J, editors. WHO Classification of Tumours of Endocrine Organs. 4th ed. Lyon: IARC; 2017. p. 180–95.
    1. Reubi JC. Peptide receptors as molecular targets for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Endocr Rev 2003;24:389–427. - PubMed

Publication types

Substances