PAX-2 is nuclear marker that is expressed in early renal organogenesis. It appears to be a sensitive marker of renal cell carcinoma. However, caution should be applied in the setting of papillary neoplasms (particularly uterine and ovarian serous papillary carcinomas).
PAX-8 along with PAX-2 are transcription factors (nuclear expression) important in the development of mullein, kidney, and other organs. They both are expressed in normal kidney and most renal neoplasms. However, PAX-2 is typically negative in thyroid neoplasms.
Ozcan, A., et. al. (PAX-2 and PA-8 expression in various renal tumors)
|
Tumor Type
|
No.
|
PAX-2
|
PAX-8
|
|
Renal Cell Carcinoma
|
|
|
|
|
Clear Cell
|
95
|
95%
|
97%
|
|
Papillary
|
38
|
76%
|
100%
|
|
Chromophobe
|
25
|
56%
|
88%
|
|
Collecting Duct
|
7
|
43%
|
71%
|
|
Acquired Cystic Kidney
Disease-related RCC
|
8
|
75%
|
100%
|
|
Oncocytoma
|
13
|
54%
|
85%
|
Sharma, S.G., et. al. (PAX-2 and RCCma expression in various papillary tumors)
|
Tumor Type
|
No.
|
PAX-2
|
RCCma
|
|
Papillary RCC
|
24
|
67%
|
96%
|
|
Ovarian Papillary Serous Carcinoma
|
10
|
40%
|
80%
|
|
Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma
|
9
|
56%
|
44%
|
|
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
|
9
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Papillary Urothelial Carcinoma
|
10
|
0%
|
10%
|
|
Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Tumor of the Pancreas
|
2
|
0%
|
50%
|
|
Chroroid Plexus Papilloma
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Pituitary Adenoma with Papillary Features
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Lung Adenocarcinoma with Papillary Features
|
2
|
0%
|
50%
|
References:
Hadi, AIMM Annual Meeting, “Carcinomas of Unknown Primary”, presentation, 2011.
Mazal PR et al. Mod Pathol 2005;18:535-540.
Shen, SS. “Role of Immunohistochemistry in Diagnosing Renal Neoplams: When Is It Really Useful?”Arch Pathol Lab Med, Vol. 136, April 2012. pp. 410-417.
Ozcan, A., la Roza, de, G., Ro, J. Y., Shen, S. S., & Truong, L. D. (2012). PAX2 and PAX8 expression in primary and metastatic renal tumors: a comprehensive comparison. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 136(12), 1541–1551. doi:10.5858/arpa.2012-0072-OA
Sharma, S. G., Gokden, M., McKenney, J. K., Phan, D. C., Cox, R. M., Kelly, T., & Gokden, N. (2010). The utility of PAX-2 and renal cell carcinoma marker immunohistochemistry in distinguishing papillary renal cell carcinoma from nonrenal cell neoplasms with papillary features. Applied Immunohistochemistry & Molecular Morphology : AIMM / Official Publication of the Society for Applied Immunohistochemistry, 18(6), 494–498. doi:10.1097/PAI.0b013e3181e78ff8