Beta-catenin by IHC

Alphabetical Test listing

Beta-catenin by IHC-12376 - Technical only, 12379 - Technical & interpretation

Test name:

Beta-catenin by IHC

Test number:

12376 - Technical only, 12379 - Technical & interpretation

Excellian order number:

LAB12376
LAB12379

Tests included:

All IHC stains will include a positive control tissue

Useful for:

Beta-catenin nuclear staining is seen in a very limited subset of mesenchymal tumor types, including desmoid-type fibromatosis (71% of cases), solitary fibrous tumor (40%), endometrial stromal sarcoma (40%) and synovial sarcoma (28%)
Beta-catenin can be used to separate sclerosing mesenteritis and GIST from fibromatosis. In one study, beta-catenin detected in 9 of 10 fibromatoses, including one case associated with familial adenomatous polyposis; none of the sclerosing mesenteritis or GIST cases had nuclear catenin
In patients with CUC, the combination of strong p53 expression and absent or weak beta catenin expression is evidence in favor of a CUC-associated polypoid dysplastic lesion in diagnostically difficult lesions
Beta-catenin expression is seen in fibromatosis of the breast, and in the stromal component of phyllodes tumors
Aberrant beta-catenin expression is often observed in metaplastic breast carcinomas
Beta-catenin may be seen in high grade sarcomas, where it is thought to act as an oncoprotein with intracytoplasmic and nuclear localization with binding to nuclear DNA

Specimen type:

Tissue

Processing instructions:

Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue block

Transport container:

Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue block

Alternate transport container:

Tissue section mounted on a charged, unstained slide

Transport and stability:

Ambient (preferred)

Reason for rejection:

Unlabeled/mislabeled block
Insufficient tissue
Slides broken beyond repair

Performing lab:

AHL - Immunohistochemistry

Days set up:

Mo - Fr

TAT:

1 - 2 days

Method:

Immunohistochemical staining and microscopic examination

Reference ranges:

If requested, an interpretive report will be provided

Clinical information:

Specifications

Beta-catenin is an intracellular protein that is regulated by the APC protein
Mutations of either the APC gene or the beta-catenin gene can result in the nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin protein
Fibromatoses typically have mutations in the APC/beta-catenin pathway and hence have abnormal nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin protein

Staining patterns

Strong nuclear staining with variable cytoplasmic staining

References:

Montgomery E et al: Beta-Catenin immunohistochemistry separates mesenteric fibromatosis from gastrointestinal stromal tumor and sclerosing mesenteritis. Am J Surg Pathol. 26(10): 1296-1301, 2002.
Walsh et al p53 and Beta catenin expression in chronic ulcerative colitis-associated polypoid dysplasia and sporadic adenomas: an immunohistochemical study. Am J Surg Pathol. August 1999 - Volume 23 - Issue 8 - p 963.
Geyer et al: Beta-Catenin pathway activation in breast cancer is associated with triple-negative phenotype but not with CTNNB1 mutation. Modern Pathology (2011) 24, 209-231.
Lacroix-Triki et al: Beta-catenin/Wnt signalling pathway in fibromatosis, metaplastic carcinomas and phyllodes tumours of the breast Modern Pathology (2010) 23, 1438-1448.
Kuhnen et al: Beta-catenin in soft tissue sarcomas: expression is related to proliferative activity in high-grade sarcomas. Mod Pathol 2000;13(9):1005-1013.
Ng TL, Gown, A et al: Nuclear beta-catenin in mesenchymal tumors. Modern Pathology (2005) 18, 68-74.

CPT codes:

88342 - 1st stain
88341 - each additional stain

Date created:

05/11/2017

Revised date:

10/17/2018

Review date:

01/12/2024