Transitional cell tumors of the ovary: a compact group with a heterogeneous histological and immunophenotypical pattern

A small percentage of ovarian neoplasms are transitional cell tumors, which proves to be a distinct group with various histological and immunohistochemical patterns. In this study, 13 archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of transitional cell tumors of the ovary have been assessed using standard HE stain and the indirect tristadial ABC peroxidase IHC method for 11 antibodies (CA125, CK7, CEA, EMA, MNF116, CK20, Vim, ER, PgR, PCNA, Ki-67). More than 50% were malignant Brenner tumors. CA125 was positive in all malignant tumors (of Brenner type and transitional cell carcinomas), but not in benign and borderline tumors, while CK7 was positive in approximately 70% of all cases. These two antibodies have shown a high sensitivity and low specificity, but do not correlate to each other. PCNA was positive in the study batch with a mean value of 40% and Ki-67 with a mean value under 25%. A direct correlation statistically significant has been noted between the aforementioned proliferation factors and the tumor grade (r = 0.4, p = 0.05). The other markers were unspecific, with low sensitivity and independently of the histopathological type.