AN IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF 19 CASES OF CUTANEOUS ANGIOSARCOMA

Four endothelial cell markers, two selective cytokeratin markers and a monoclonal smooth muscle antibody (SMA) were employed in the assessme nt of 19 cases of cutaneous angiosarcoma classified according to their degree of tumour differentiation. No labelling was seen for SMA or wi th cytokeratin markers MNF116 and CBL170, Expression of factor VIII-re lated antigen was seen in two tumours and positivity for CD34 (QBend 1 0 antibody) was found in four tumours. By contrast the pan-endothelial cell marker Ulex europeaus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1) and the aa CD31 marke r JC70A labelled all cases of cutaneous angiosarcoma with the exceptio n of one poorly differentiated tumour, These data confirm the endothel ial cell origin of angiosarcoma, they demonstrate that CD31 and UEA1 a re reliable markers in routinely processed tissue, and they suggest a lymphatic derivation for the tumour, This finding is in marked contras t to Kaposi's sarcoma where CD34 is the most reliable marker.