Role of CALLA/CD10 Expression in Progression of Melanocytic Tumors: A Study in Egypt

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although most of melanocytic lesions can be diagnosed using morphology, there is a significant subset of lesions that are difficult to diagnose. These are a source of anxiety for patients, clinicians, and pathologists. This arouses the possible benefits of using ancillary techniques to solve this problem. CD10 is a zinc-dependent metalloproteinase, its expression is known to be associated with biological aggressiveness in various malignancies. AIM: This research observes the efficacy of CD10 in the progression of melanocytic tumors as well as the differential diagnosis between nevus and melanoma. METHODS: The material of this study included 49 paraffin blocks of Egyptian melanocytic tumors. CD10 expression either membranous and/or cytoplasmic in tumor cells was considered positive and scored, based on the percentage of cells stained and compared to Ki67 expression as a prognostic marker. RESULTS: In benign melanocytic nevi, only 16.7% of cases showed positive expression, all were + 1 score, compared to 82.6% of melanoma cases, mostly +1 score followed by +3 score and finally +2 score. The difference in CD10 expression among melanocytic tumors showed a highly statistically significant correlation between nevus and melanoma cases as well as in Spitz nevi versus other nevi. Another highly statistically significant correlation was observed between CD10 expression and both Ki67 expression and ulceration. CONCLUSION: CD10 expression was significantly higher expressed in melanomas rather than nevi with highly statistically significant positive relation with Ki67 and ulcer formation which supports its role as a potential biomarker in the development of malignant melanoma and marker of aggression.