The Role of Maspin Expression as Diagnostic Tissue Marker in Pancreaticoduodenal Malignant Tumors and Benign Lesions

BACKGROUND: Maspin (a tumor suppressor gene) is down-regulated in breast, prostate, gastric, and melanoma. Although it not detected normal pancreatic tissue, over-expressed cancer suggesting that maspin may play different activities cell types. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PC) acquires expression through hypomethylation of its promoter. AIM: Because the discrimination between ampullary periampullary carcinomas challenging advanced cases, this inspired us to search for use discriminate carcinoma (AC), PC, duodenal (DC), other confusing benign inflammatory lesions. METHODS: Immunostaining was performed 80 pancreaticoduodenal Sixty cases were malignant: 48 epithelial (41 PC 7 solid pseudopapillary neoplasm), 9 AC, 3 DC. Twenty non-malignant: 12 (chronic pancreatitis), 5 neoplastic (serous cystadenomas), tissue. Cytoplasmic and/or nuclear staining considered positive as: Focally (5–50% cells), diffusely (>50% or negative (<5% cells). RESULTS: (positive/negative), distribution (focal/diffuse), are significantly neoplasm, shows higher with more diffuse positivity than malignant groups. Forty (40/41) (97.6%) showed expression; 28 them (28/40) (70%) 82.5% (33 cases) cytoplasmic expression. Only one case (14.3%) (1/7) neoplasm focal Three AC (3/9) (33.3%) Two DC (2/3) (66.7%) significant correlation poor prognostic variables as grade, lymphovascular invasion, T stage PC. Minority chronic pancreatitis lesions difference from CONCLUSION: Our results suggest can be value differentiating carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, pancreatitis.