• All IHC stains will include a positive control tissue

• SALL4 is highly sensitive in identifying seminomas, dysgerminomas, embryonal carcinomas, and yolk sac tumors (virtually 100%)
• Of particular note, SALL4 also stains spermatocytic seminomas, along with classical seminomas
• It is expressed in 69% of choriocarcinomas (trophoblastic cells); and 52% of teratomas
• Sex cord-stromal tumors and trophoblastic tumors are SALL4 negative
• SALL4 also stains most cases of teratoma (absent in mature components), and trophoblastic cells in choriocarcinomas
• This marker is useful in the differential diagnosis of sex cord-stromal tumor versus germ cell tumor (use SALL4, a-inhibin, and calretinin), metastatic high-grade carcinoma vs. germ cell tumor (use SALL4 and OCT4), and germ cell tumor vs. lymphoma
• Although SALL4 will stain virtually 100% intratubular germ cell neoplasia, but it will also stain non-neoplastic germ cells (use OCT4 instead)
• SALL4 has been identified in 20% of cases or more of serous carcinoma of the ovary, urothelial high-grade carcinoma, and gastric adenocarcinoma (especially the intestinal type)
• This marker is rarely seen in breast, colorectal, prostatic, and squamous cell carcinomas
• SALL4 has been noted in rhabdoid tumors of the kidney and extrarenal sites and in the Wilms tumor
• It has been occasionally seen in melanoma, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, epithelioid sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma
• Hematopoietic tumors are negative for SALL4

Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue block

Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue block

FFPE tissue section mounted on a charged, unstained slide

Ambient (preferred)

• Unlabeled/mislabeled block
• Insufficient tissue
• Slides broken beyond repair

Immunohistochemical staining and microscopic examination

If requested, an interpretive report will be provided

Specifications

• SALL4 is a zinc finger transcription factor expressed in embryonic stem cells
• This antibody is highly sensitive in identifying germ cell tumors

Staining pattern

• Nuclear staining

References

1. Meittinen M et al: SALL4 Expression in Germ Cell and Non-Germ Cell Tumors; A Systematic Immunohistochemical Study of 3215 Cases. Am J Surg Pathol 2014;38:410-420).
2. Ulbright TM et al: Best Practices Recommendations in the Application of Immunohistochemistry in Testicular Tumors; Report From the International Society of Urological Pathology Consensus Conference. Am J Surg Pathol 2014;38:e50-e59.