ESA / BerP4
Alias/Synonym: Epithelial Antigen, Adenocarcinoma
CPT Code: 88342
- Includes:
- Specimen Type, Preferred:
- Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue
- Specimen Type, Alternate:
- Sample Quantity, Preferred:
- 1 block
- 2 slides
- Sample Quantity, Minimum:
- N/A
- Transport Container:
- Paraffin block
- Unstained slides
- Transport Temperature:
- Room temperature
- Collection Instructions:
- Block and slide identifiers should be clearly written and match exactly with the specimen ID and specimen labeling as noted on the requisition.
- Slides should be positively charged and cut at 3-4 microns for each stain/antibody ordered.
- Specimen Stability:
- N/A
- Rejection Criteria:
- No liquid specimens.
- Uncharged slides
- Clinical Significance:
- Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) is an approximate 40 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein. In paraffin sections, the protein is detected with many antibodies like anti-Ber-EP4 and anti-MOC-31. Ep-CAM (Ber-EP4) is normally expressed at the basolateral membrane of cells in the majority of epithelial tissues. It is not expressed in adult squamous epithelia, hepatocytes, myoepithelial cells, mesothelial cells or fibroblasts. Ep-CAM is found in the large majority of adenocarcinomas of most sites (50-100%) in various studies; as well as neuroendocrine tumors, including small cell carcinoma. Renal clear cell carcinoma, renal oncocytoma and hepatocellular carcinoma stain in a minority of the cases, but papillary renal cell carcinoma, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma stain with anti-Ber-EP4 at a higher percentage. Basal cell carcinoma is anti-Ber-EP4 positive in almost all cases. Ep-CAM can be of great help in the differentiating malignant involvement in the peritoneal and pleural cavities.
- Limitations:
- Turnaround Time:
- 1 day(s)
- Reference Ranges:
- N/A