Abstract
AIMS
Breast adenomyoepitheliomas (AMEs) are uncommon tumors. Most estrogen receptor (ER)-positive AMEs have mutations in PI3K pathway genes, whereas ER-negative AMEs usually harbor concurrent mutations affecting the HRAS Q61 hotspot and PI3K pathway genes. Here, we sought to determine the sensitivity and specificity of RAS Q61R immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis for detection of HRAS Q61R mutations in AMEs.
METHODS AND RESULTS
26 AME (14 ER-positive, 12 ER-negative) previously subjected to massively parallel sequencing (n=21) or Sanger sequencing (n=5) of the HRAS Q61 hotspot locus were included in this study. All AMEs were subjected to IHC using a monoclonal (SP174) RAS Q61R-specific antibody, in addition to detailed histopathologic analysis. Nine ER-negative AMEs harbored HRAS mutations, including Q61R (n=7) and Q61K (n=2) mutations. 5/7 (71%) AMEs with HRAS Q61R mutations were positive by IHC, whereas none of the AMEs lacking HRAS Q61R mutations (n=17) were immunoreactive. RAS Q61R immunoreactivity was restricted to the myoepithelium in 80% (4/5) of cases, whereas one case displayed immunoreactivity in both the epithelial and myoepithelial components. RAS Q61R IHC-positive AMEs were associated with infiltrative borders (P<0.001), necrosis (P<0.01) and mitotic index in the epithelial (P<0.05) and myoepithelial (P<0.01) components. RAS Q61R IHC assessment did not detect Q61K mutations (0/2).
CONCLUSIONS
IHC analysis of RAS Q61R displays a high specificity (100%) and moderate sensitivity (71%) for detection of HRAS Q61R mutations in breast AMEs, and appears not to detect HRAS Q61K mutations. IHC analysis of RAS Q61R may constitute a useful marker in the diagnostic workup of ER-negative AMEs.
Pareja, Fresia