Résumé
To determine the distinction of primary ovarian carcinoma from metastatic ovariancarcinoma, the author studied total 40 cases of malignant tumors(13 primary ovarian carcinomas:7 serous, 4 mucinous, and 2 endometrioid, 7 metastatic ovarian adenocarcinomas,10 gastric adenocarcinomas and 10 colonic adenocarcinomas) using primary antibody to CEA,CK7, CK20 and CK18. The results were summerised as follows: The expression of CK7was demonstrated in all(7) serous and 3 out of 4 mucinous adenocarcinoma, and 1 out of10 each gastric and colonic adenocarcinoma. The CK20 positivity was seen in 4 out of 10cases of colonic adenocarcinoma and 3 out of 7 cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma. Allprimary ovarian carcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma were negative for CK20 except forfocal positivity in only 1 ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma. All types of serous andendometrioid adenocarcinoma were negative for CEA. But, the vast majority of mucinousadenocarcinoma, metastatic adenocarcinoma, gastric and colonic adenocarcinoma were positivefor CEA. The CK18 may not be helpful to differentiate the primay or metastatic carcinomabecause all cases examined were positive for CK18 except for 1 ovarian mucinous carcinoma.Immunostainning for CK7 may be helpful on differential diagnosis of primary andmetastatic ovarian carcinoma, especially mucinous adenocarcinoma and metastatic gastric andcolonic adenocarcinoma. The CK20 may be a useful marker for differential diagosis inprimary and metastatic ovarian carcinomas. The CEA may be of value on differential diagnosisof mucinous and nonmucinous(serous and endomerioid) ovarian carcinomas, and metastaticcolonic adenocarcinoma and endometrioid carcinoma.In conclusion, immunohistochemical study for CEA, CK7, and CK20 may be helpful indifferential diagnosis between primary and metastatic ovarian carcinoma.