Comparison of p57, c-erbB-2, CD117, and Bcl-2 expression in the differential diagnosis of hydatidiform mole and hydropic abortion

Purpose: To explore the utility of p57, c-erbB-2, CD117, and Bcl-2 immunostaining in the differential diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole (CHM), partial hydatidiform mole (PHM), and hydropic abortion (HA). Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical expression of the p57, c-erbB-2, CD117, and Bcl-2 proteins were investigated semi-quantitatively using paraffin-embedded tissue sections from histologically unequivocal cases of CHM (n = 20), PHM (n = 23), and HA (n = 17). Results: All cases of CHM exhibited a striking absence of p57 expression. The percentage of positive p57 staining was similar between PHMs (73.9%) and HAs (76.5%) (p > 0.05). The comparison of c-erbB-2 expression revealed a significantly higher percentage of positive c-erbB-2 staining in CHMs (45%) compared with that in PHMs (8.7%) and HAs (5.9%) (p = 0.006 and 0.01, respectively). The CD117 expression pattern (immunoreactivity score, percentage of positive cells, and staining intensity) was significantly lower in HAs compared with that in PHMs and CHMs (p < 0.05 for all). A significantly increased Bcl-2 expression pattern was observed in HAs compared with that in PHMs and CHMs (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: Immunohistochemical examination of p57, c-erbB-2, CD117, and Bcl-2 expression represents a relatively simple, reliable, and cost-efficient procedure to definitively distinguish among CHM, PHM, and HA.

Bcl-2; CD117; c-erbB-2; Hydatidiform mole; p57.

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