Proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunoreaction in adrenal tumors.

Abstract

We studied, retrospectively, 33 cases of adrenal tumors of children at the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Children's Institute, São Paulo State University Medical School, from 1975 to 1993. All patients had at least 2 years of follow-up with a few exceptions. Clinical follow-up data were correlated with histopathologic review, laboratory data and cell kinetic evaluation (based on detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigens). With one exception, all the patients had presented signs of androgen production and had high levels of dehydro-epiandrosterone-sulfate. Tumor weight evaluation represented a good parameter of neoplasm evolution: of 19 cases weighing less than 250 g, 17 had no evidence of disease after surgery, and 2 had an unfavorable prognosis. Of 14 cases weighing more than 250 g, only 1 had no evidence of disease and 13 had an unfavorable evolution. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was not helpful to evaluate adrenal neoplasm evolution: our study did not show any correlation between PCNA score and prognosis.