RESUMEN
Purpose To investigate the diagnostic utility of the immunohistochemical markers SALL4, D2-40 and Glypican-3 in prima-ry testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). Methods The expression of SALL4, D2-40 and Glypican-3 protein was detected by EnVi-sion immunohistochemical method in 56 cases of primary testicular germ cell tumors, including 5 intratubular germ cell neoplasms ( IT-GCNs) , 10 seminomas, 14 embryonal carcinomas ( ECs) , 14 yolk sac tumors ( YSTs) , 1 choriocarcinoma, 5 immature teratomas and 12 mature teratomas. 10 normal testicular tissues and 5 lymphomas were selected as control. Results All of ITGCNs, seminomas, YSTs and ECs were diffusely strongly positive for SALL4. Focal SALL4 staining was seen in choriocarcinoma, 3 of 5 immature terato-mas and 3 of 12 mature teratomas. All of ITGCNs, seminomas showed diffusely strong D2-40 staining. ECs (4/14) were focally posi-tive for D2-40, while choriocarcinoma, YSTs and teratomas were negative for D2-40. Glypican-3 was diffusely positive in YSTs (13/14), and focally weakly positive in ECs (2/14), respectively. ITGCNs, seminomas, choriocarcinoma and teratoma were negative for Glypican-3. In contrast, 10 normal testicular tissues and 5 lymphomas showed no SALL4, D2-40 and Glypican-3 staining. Conclu-sions SALL4 is a useful diagnostic marker with high sensitivity and specificity for TGCTs. Combination of SALL4, D2-40 and Glypi-can-3 is helpful to the diagnosis and differential diagnosis for TGCTs.