• Daniele Moraes Losada, André Luiz da Cruz Ribeiro, Francisco Fontes Cintra, Guilherme Rossi Assis de Mendonça, Maurício Etchebehere, and Eliane Maria Ingrid Amstalden.
• Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, BR.
• Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2021 Jan 1; 76: e2914.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the role of amphiregulin protein, an epidermal growth factor receptor ligand, in cartilaginous tumors.MethodsAmphiregulin expression was examined in 31 enchondromas and 67 chondrosarcomas using immunohistochemistry analysis.ResultsOverall, 15 enchondromas (48.40%) and 24 chondrosarcomas (35.82%) were positive for amphiregulin. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve test, no difference in amphiregulin expression was observed between enchondromas and low-grade chondrosarcomas (p=0.0880). Additionally, 39 lesions (16 in short bones, 13 in long bones, and 10 in flat bones) were positive for amphiregulin, exhibiting a higher percentage of positive cells (p=0.0030) and intensity of immunohistochemical expression (p=0.0055) in short bone lesions than in others. Among 25 enchondromas localized in short bones, 15 expressed amphiregulin; however, all 6 cases localized in long bones were negative for this marker (p=0.0177).ConclusionsAmphiregulin did not help in distinguishing enchondromas from low-grade chondrosarcomas. The present study is the first to document the expression of this immunohistochemical marker in enchondromas. Furthermore, amphiregulin expression in enchondromas was localized in short bones, indicating a phenotypic distinction from that in long bones. This distinction may contribute to an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of these lesions.

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