Retrospective Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2014; 20(13): 3672-3679
Published online Apr 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i13.3672
Transcription factor ERG is a specific and sensitive diagnostic marker for hepatic angiosarcoma
Zhan-Bo Wang, Jing Yuan, Wei Chen, Li-Xin Wei
Zhan-Bo Wang, Jing Yuan, Wei Chen, Li-Xin Wei, Department of Pathology, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
Author contributions: Wang ZB and Yuan J contributed equally to this work and are co-first authors on this study; Wang ZB, Yuan J and Wei LX designed the research; Wang ZB, Yuan J and Chen W performed the research; Wang ZB and Yuan J analyzed the data; Wang ZB and Yuan J wrote the paper; Wang ZB, Yuan J and Wei LX revised the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Li-Xin Wei, MD, Professor, Department of Pathology, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian, Beijing 100853, China. weilx301@126.com
Telephone: +86-10-66936652 Fax: +86-10-66939726
Received: December 4, 2013
Revised: February 9, 2014
Accepted: March 8, 2014
Published online: April 7, 2014
Processing time: 120 Days and 16.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Hepatic angiosarcoma (HAS) is a rare disease and formal therapeutic guidelines have not been established. A method to detect HAS early using molecular markers would improve patient survival. Here, we have assembled the largest cohort to date of 24 HAS cases to determine if ERG, CD31, CD34 or factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIRAg) represent a diagnostic marker for the disease. Expression of CD31, CD34 and FVIIIRAg was variable across the 24 samples, while ERG was consistently expressed in all HAS samples. ERG showed increased sensitivity and specificity in comparison to the other markers examined and represents a novel diagnostic marker for HAS.