Aberrant expression of p63 in adenocarcinoma of the prostate: a radical prostatectomy study

Am J Surg Pathol. 2013 Sep;37(9):1401-6. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e31828d5c32.

Abstract

Prostatic adenocarcinoma with aberrant diffuse expression of p63 (p63-PCa) is a recently described variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and pathologic features of p63-PCa at radical prostatectomy (RP). We reviewed 21 cases of p63-PCa diagnosed on needle biopsy at subsequent RP. Immunohistochemical analysis for PIN4 and Ki-67 was performed in all RP cases. p63-PCa showed a distinctive morphology consisting of atrophic, poorly formed glands, with multilayered and often spindled nuclei. Gleason grading was 3+3=6 in 28.5%, 3+5=8 in 38%, 3+4=7 in 14.3%, and 4+3=7, 5+3=8, and 5+4=9 in 9.5%. Usual-type acinar carcinoma coexisted in 85.7% with only p63-PCa present in the remaining cases. The usual-type carcinoma was Gleason grade 3+2=5 in 4.7%, 3+3=6 in 57%, 3+4=7 in 19%, and 4+3=7 in 4.3%. Overall, p63-PCa represented 65% of the total cancer volume (median 80%). The tumor was organ-confined in 16 cases (76.2%). In the remaining 5 cases, 2 had p63-PCa extending to the margin in areas of intraprostatic incisions, 2 had usual-type acinar adenocarcinoma extending to the margin and extraprostatic tissue, respectively, and 1 had p63-PCa with an unusual cribriform morphology involving the bladder neck. Ki-67 was low, <5% in all cases of p63-PCa, with similar expression in the coexisting acinar-type carcinoma. In summary, it is recommended that these tumors not be assigned a Gleason score and their favorable findings at RP be noted.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / chemistry*
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery*
  • Aged
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Ki-67 Antigen / analysis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / analysis
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prostatectomy / methods*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Transcription Factors / analysis*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / analysis*

Substances

  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • TP63 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • PIN1 protein, human
  • PIN4 protein, human
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase