Table 1.

Summary of differential diagnosis of entities with cribriform morphology within the prostate gland.

Entity	Architecture	Cytologic Features	Basal Cell Layer	ERG Expression	PTEN Loss
Benign cribriform glands	Complex epithelium with cribriform pattern and epithelial bridges located in the central zone	High columnar stratified epithelium, granular cytoplasm, small round nuclei without cytologic atypia or prominent nucleoli	Intact	−	−
Basal cell hyperplasia	Nodular lesion, within the transitional zone	Scant cytoplasm, hyperchromatic nuclei without cytologic atypia	The lesion involves basal cells	−	−
Clear cell cribriform hyperplasia	Variant of BPH, medium and large sized acini with cribriform morphology	Pale to clear cytoplasm, nuclei lack cytologic atypia or prominent nucleoli	Intact	−	−
HGPIN	Normal-sized acini with tufting, micropapillary, or flat growth pattern and without expansion of glands	Cytologic atypia, nuclear enlargement and hyperchromasia with prominent nucleoli, no necrosis	Preserved (can be fragmented)	−/+	−
AIDCP	Loose cribriform lumen-spanning architecture	Moderate nuclear atypia, absence of necrosis, insufficient to meet the criteria for IDC	Preserved (can be fragmented)	+/−	Identified
Intraductal carcinoma	Greatly expanded glands with cribriform/solid growth	Nuclear atypia (nuclear enlargement, hyperchromatic nuclei) may be present	Preserved (can be fragmented)	+/−	Identified
Invasive cribriform acinar carcinoma	Continuous proliferation of cells with intermingled lumina	Nuclear atypia (prominent nucleoli, hyperchromasia)	Absent	+/−	Identified
Ductal carcinoma	Papillary, solid and cribriform growth pattern	Tall columnar cells, nuclear atypia, mitotic figures	Usually absent, may be present	−/+	Identified
Basal cell carcinoma	Irregular cribriform formations containing mucin or basement membrane-like material within the lumina, desmoplastic reaction	Hyperchromatic large nuclei with scant cytoplasm	The entire process involves basal cells	−	Identified