Diagnostic Pathology: Open Access
Open Access

Sarcomas are malignancies that may develop nearly anywhere in the body from cells that produce tissues that surround, penetrate, or link body structures and organs. Sarcoma is often difficult to diagnose based solely on histological findings as they comprise a heterogeneous group of mesenchymal neoplasms. It should become increasingly important to have a comprehensive understanding of epidemiology and etiology of sarcoma as the risks are not well-understood. Biochemical techniques were formerly employed to assess receptors and other markers, but immunohistochemistry is currently the most often utilized method. The evaluations of latest findings revealed the potential utility of a panel of antibodies in the differential diagnosis between various types of sarcomas. Standard streptavidin-biotin staining has been used for immunohistochemistry, although it can support in its diagnosis, specific markers are yet to be discovered. Researchers also state that that distinguishing sarcomas is not difficult in general despite the diverse histologic characteristics of each tumor.

Immunohistochemistry is a vital tool to characterize cases with ambiguous morphology. The advancement of immunohistochemistry has also allowed various antibodies to be targeted against specific cell components to provide data on a cell's neuronal phenotype. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining patterns are increasingly used to identify these tumors, primarily in retrospective investigations where expression profiling material may not be obtainable. The data representations in the recent research revealed that different immunohistochemical marker combinations may impact prognosis at different stages of development. The analysis of the antigenic profile of a large series of sarcomas, including their unique histological variations is constructive in order to ensure diagnostic accuracy and assist in the differential diagnosis of this rare malignancy. They also discovered immunohistochemical similarities between sarcomas indicating a common pathogenesis.

Several sarcomas have been shown previously to have overlapping features with other tumors by histology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Possible explanations for the differences in results include case selection, the use of different immunohistochemistry techniques differences in fixation and antigen retrieval and scoring. Contemporary research also states that targeted use of newer antibodies in addition to conventional immunohistochemical markers is useful in the diagnosis of sarcoma and in the identification of monocytic differentiation. The findings of the former study address major issues of interest to dermatopathologists and pathologists, including IHC performance characteristics and clinical application in the diagnosis of sarcoma. It has been extremely difficult to establish optimum treatment strategies for sarcoma since there are so many subtypes, their biological activity is so heterogeneous, and there are so few individuals with certain subtypes who are willing to participate in clinical trials.

Immunohistochemical methods for detecting gene expression in cells and tissues can be a valuable addition to regular histopathology. Gene expression analysis has revealed many subgroups of sarcomas that are linked to patient outcome. Diagnosis of sarcoma might still be difficult in instances with non-biphasic histopathology. As a result, trial design and interpretation of results would be significantly impacted. Our understanding of the genetic vs. environmental factors to tumorigenesis in this often deadly cancer may be improved via future molecular epidemiology research. Cancers have now been diagnosed using an increasing number of immunohistochemical markers; however, these markers must be validated before they can be used as indicators of clinical prognosis and therapeutic choices.