IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY WITH INHIBIN ALPHA, MELAN A AND MNF 116 IN ADRENAL TUMORS

Aim. The goal was to study immunostaining with Inhibin alpha, Melan-A and MNF 116 in tumors located in the adrenals (benign adrenocortical tumors and metastatic lesions in the adrenal gland) because sometimes pathology cannot distinguish between the two. Patients and Methods. We included 35 patients with benign adrenal tumors and 15 patients with adrenal metastases from nonadrenal tumors submitted to laparoscopic (n=40) or classical (n=10) surgery. In our study we have explored immunostaining with inhibin alpha-subunit, melan-A, MNF 116 in adrenocortical tumors and metastatic lesions in the adrenal gland in order to make the distinction between primary adrenal cortical lesions and metastatic lesions. Results. All nonsecreting adrenocortical adenomas were stained with inhibin alpha-subunit and melan-A, but did not stain with MNF 116. All adrenal metastases stained with MNF 116 but were negative for inhibin, alpha-subunit and melan-A with the exception of the 2 melanomas, which stained for melan-A. Conclusion. Inhibin alpha-subunit and melan-A were sensitive for benign adrenocortical tumors, while MNF 116 was sensitive for metastases from extraadrenal tumors.