PAX-8

PAX-8 is a transcription factor in the paired box family, which plays a pivotal regulatory role in embryonic development of various organs such as the thyroid, kidney, and Müllerian duct. PAX-8 is considered as a specific biomarker of the Müllerian glandular epithelium, thus it can be applied in the diagnosis of Müllerian duct derived tumors such as ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and fallopian tube tumor. For example, PAX-8 is diffusely strongly expressed in serous tumor, endometrioid tumor, and clear cell carcinoma of ovarium, but locally weakly expressed in mucinous tumor, which makes it become an important differential diagnostic marker. Meanwhile, PAX-8 can assist in differentiating ovarian cancer from breast cancer and mesothelioma, and its positive expression is closely related to the proliferation and growth of cancer cells. In addition, PAX-8 is a highly specific and sensitive diagnostic indicator for thyroid and kidney derived tumors such as papillary thyroid carcinoma, papillary renal cell carcinoma, and renal clear cell carcinoma.