Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)

Immunohistochemical expression

• fetal nervous system and fetal epithelium of the lungs, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts1.

• fetal, but not normally adult, liver1.

• bile ductular cells in chronic cholestatic conditions, focal nodular hyperplasia and regenerating liver after submassive necrosis1.

• NOT interlobular bile ducts or hepatocytes1.

• cholangiocarcinoma but not hepatocellular carcinoma1.

• approximately 50% of breast carcinomas are positive. this rises to 75% for those with bone metastases and 90% of the actual bone metastases1.

• small cell carcinoma of the ovary: 5/7 cases positive2.

Diagnostic utility

• Differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma from cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic carcinoma

References

1Roskams, T., Willems, M., Campos, R. V., Drucker, D. J., Yap, S. H., Desmet, V. J. Parathyroid hormone-related peptide expression in primary and metastatic liver tumours. Histopathology 1993;23:519-525.

2Young RH, Oliva E, Scully RE. Small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type. A clinicopathological analysis of 150 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 1994 Nov;18(11):1102-16.

This page last revised 20.1.2002.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop