Asbestos Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asbestos, including details on mesothelioma, lung disease, dangers, effects, risks.

Utility of CD138 (syndecan-1) in distinguishing carcinomas from mesotheliomas.

Saqi A, Yun SS, Yu GH, Alexis D, Taub RN, Powell CA, Borczuk AC

Department of Pathology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, NY 10032, USA. aas177@columbia.edu

CD138 (Syndecan-1) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan present on the surface of plasma cells and epithelial cells. CD138 is also expressed in some hematopoietic neoplasms and has recently been observed in carcinomas. We characterized CD138 expression in cell-block preparations of fluids/effusions, focusing on the distinction between carcinoma and mesothelioma. One hundred formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cell-block sections of fluids/effusions consisting of 58 metastatic carcinomas, 24 mesotheliomas, 11 reactive mesothelial cell proliferations, 3 lymphomas, 3 metastatic sarcomas, and 1 metastatic melanoma were stained with a monoclonal antibody against CD138. CD138 staining was observed in 32/58 (55%) metastatic carcinomas and 2/24 (8%) mesotheliomas; all reactive mesothelial cells, lymphomas, sarcomas, and melanoma were negative. CD138 is a highly specific marker in the differential diagnosis of carcinoma vs. mesothelioma. Distinct membranous staining without background staining of most inflammatory cells makes CD138 an ideal marker for cell-block preparations of fluids/effusions. It should be an integral component of the epithelial-mesothelial antibody panel.

Published 14 July 2005 in Diagn Cytopathol, 33(2): 65-70.
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