Evaluation of Specificity of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Neurone-Specific Enolase in Diagnosis of Brain Tumours

Abstract

The study included 35 cases of gliomas and 45 cases of non-gliomas. GFAP positive immunoreactivity was in 100% of ependymomas, 50% of <1strocytoma, choroid plexus papilloma and negative in oligodendroglioma, meningioma and pituitary adenoma. High grade astrocytoma (G IV glioblastoma multiforme) showed 100% negative GFAP immunoreactivity, i.e. an inverse relationship between the degree of malignancy and the content ofGFAP positive cells in astrocytic glioma. NSE positive •. immunoreactivity was in 100% medulloblastoma, I 00% pituitary adenoma, ganglioneuron1a and schwannoma, negative in meningioma and all gliomas. From the results GFAP is a 100% glial specific marker and NSE is a 100% specific marker for .., neuronal and neuroendocrine neoplasms.