Which markers are in the IHC panel for primary ovarian germ cell tumors?

• A. SALL4, LIN26, HCG
• B. Inhibin, SF-1, FOXL2
• C. Cyclin D1, BCOR, CD10
• D. PTH, chromogranin

Answer: (A)

The markers used to identify germ cell origin in ovarian tumors include SALL4 and LIN28, with HCG helping to detect choriocarcinomatous components. SALL4 is a highly sensitive marker for germ cell tumors, and LIN28 is another marker commonly expressed in these tumors, so together they strongly support a germ cell–type neoplasm. HCG indicates trophoblastic differentiation, which can be seen in choriocarcinoma elements within germ cell tumors. This combination is characteristic of primary ovarian germ cell tumors and helps distinguish them from other ovarian neoplasms.

Inhibin, SF-1, and FOXL2 are markers of sex cord-stromal tumors, not germ cell tumors, so they don’t form the best panel for this context. PTH and chromogranin point to paraneoplastic or neuroendocrine lineages, which are not typical for primary ovarian germ cell tumors. Cyclin D1, BCOR, and CD10 cover other tumor types and do not specifically define germ cell origin.