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Updated: May 9, 2026
Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining, Imaging, and Analysis in Histological Samples of Lymphoma
Published on: January 9, 2019
Immunohistochemical evaluation of MYC expression in mantle cell lymphoma
Matthew J Oberley1, Saurabh A Rajguru, Chong Zhang
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
Insights
Evaluating MYC expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is valid and reproducible. This method independently predicts patient outcomes, offering clinical utility for managing MCL.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Molecular Pathology
Background:
- Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Accurate prognostic markers are crucial for MCL management.
- MYC expression is implicated in lymphomagenesis and may impact clinical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of MYC protein expression assessment by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in MCL.
- To determine if MYC IHC is a clinically useful predictor of outcomes in MCL patients.
Main Methods:
- MYC protein expression was assessed using a novel monoclonal antibody via IHC on a tissue microarray of 62 MCL cases and 29 controls.
- Inter-observer agreement was evaluated, and MYC IHC scores were correlated with MYC mRNA expression and Ki67 proliferation index.
- Multivariate analysis was performed to assess MYC IHC as an independent predictor of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), adjusting for clinical factors.
Main Results:
- High inter-observer correlation (intra-class correlation = 0.98) was achieved for MYC IHC scoring.
- MYC IHC scores strongly correlated with MYC mRNA expression (Spearman's rho = 0.69, P < 0.0001) and weakly with Ki67 (Spearman's rho = 0.30, P = 0.03).
- MYC IHC score independently predicted both PFS (HR 2.34, P = 0.0009) and OS (HR 1.90, P = 0.034) in MCL patients.
Conclusions:
- A new monoclonal anti-MYC antibody allows for accurate and reproducible MYC expression assessment in MCL via IHC.
- MYC IHC is a valid and independent prognostic biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in MCL.
Aim:
To assess the validity and potential clinical utility of evaluating MYC expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).
Methods And Results:
MYC IHC was scored on a tissue microarray containing 62 MCLs and 29 controls by two pathologists. Inter-observer correlation was high (intra-class correlation of 0.98). MYC IHC scores correlated with MYC expression (Spearman's rank correlation 0.69, P < 0.0001) and weakly with Ki67 proliferation index (Spearman's rank correlation 0.30, P = 0.03). Six blastic MCLs did not have higher mean MYC IHC scores or MYC mRNA expression than non-blastic MCLs. None of 57 cases assessed, including all of the blastic cases, showed MYC rearrangement by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Multivariate analysis with backward selection from potential predictors including age, lactate dehydrogenase, leukocyte count, MIPI score, ECOG performance status, blastic morphology and Ki67 index showed that MYC IHC score is an independent predictor of progression-free survival (hazard ratio 2.34, 95% CI 1.42-3.88, P = 0.0009) and overall survival (hazard ratio 1.90, 95% CI 1.05-3.43, P = 0.034).
Conclusions:
We show that a new monoclonal anti-MYC antibody can enable accurate and reproducible visual assessment of MYC expression that is independently predictive of clinical outcomes in MCL.
