Comprehensive Investigation of Angiogenesis, PASS Score and Immunohistochemical Factors in Risk Assessment of Malignancy for Paraganglioma and Pheochromocytoma

TL;DR

This study investigates factors like angiogenesis and immunohistochemical markers to assess malignancy risk in paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma tumors.

Contribution

The study introduces a risk stratification approach combining PASS score with biological markers for malignancy assessment in these tumors.

Findings

Intratumoral MVD does not significantly differ between benign and malignant tumors.

Potentially malignant tumors are larger, have lower MVD, and fewer S100-labeled cells.

Most tumors retain SDHB expression, and Ki67 proliferative activity is low in both groups.

Abstract

A challenging task in routine practice is finding the distinction between benign and malignant paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas. The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of angiogenesis by assessing intratumoral microvascular density (MVD) with immunohistochemical (IHC) markers (CD31, CD34, CD105, ERG), and S100 immunoreactivity, Ki67 proliferative index, succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) expressiveness, tumor size with one the most utilized score Pheochromocytoma of Adrenal Gland Scales Score (PASS), using tissue microarray (TMA) with 115 tumor samples, 61 benign (PASS < 4) and 54 potentially malignant (PASS ≥ 4). We found no notable difference between intratumoral MVD and potentially malignant behavior. The group of potentially malignant tumors is significantly larger in size, has lower intratumoral MVD, and a decreased number of S100 labeled sustentacular cells. Both groups have low proliferative activity (mean Ki67 is 1.02 and 1.22, respectively). Most tumors maintain SDHB expression, only 6 cases (5.2%) showed a loss of expression (4 of them in PASS < 4 group and 2 in PASS ≥ 4). PASS score is easily available for assessment and complemented with markers of biological behavior to complete the risk stratification algorithm. Size is directly related to PASS score and malignancy. Intratumoral MVD is extensively developed but it is not crucial in evaluating the malignant potential.

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