Abstract

The origin of ovarian epithelial tumors is still indistinct. Müllerian and coelomic hypothesis are controversial. Recently, there is also a small number of reports that tubo-peritoneal junction may play an important role in the development of tubo-ovarian tumors. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between tumors originating from Mullerian epithelium and peritoneal mesothelium, in other words primary and secondary Müllerian systems. Seventy malignant tumors originating from the Müllerian epithelium and peritoneal mesothelium were included in the study. Tumors were analysed immunohistochemically for PAX8, WT1, CD56, Ber-EP4, ER and desmin expression. We evaluated the study based on three phases. Firstly, we investigated immunohistochemical stainings of different tumor types in different locations. Secondly, we assessed immunohistochemical characteristics according to their histologicals subtypes, and finally their relationship with primary or secondary Müllerian systems. As a result different immunohistochemical features were detected between both localization and histological types of these tumor groups. Absence of immunoreactivity of PAX8, WT1 and CD56 in endometrial serous carcinomas and, the presence of high immunoreactivity in ovarian and tubal serous carcinomas was considered to be an indicator of different origins of these tumors as primary and secondary Müllerian systems. It also seems possible that tubo-peritoneal junction could be the junction between primary and secondary Müllerian systems and, may play an important role in the development of tubo-ovarian tumors.

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