Gökcan, M. Kürşat Ankara Üniversitesi - Medical School - Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Turkey , Demireller, Alp Ankara Üniversitesi - Medical School - Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Turkey , Tulunay, Özden Ankara Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Tıbbi Patoloji Anabilim Dalı, Turkey

Do cytokeratins play a role as a prognostic biomarker in squamous cell carcinoma of larynx?

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Aim. In this prospective study, expressions of distinct cytokeratin (CK) subtypes in larynx cancer (LC) were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and these findings were correlated with known prognostic factors. Method. Thirty LC patients were enrolled into study. Tumor sections were examined and graded according to Broder’s criteria. For examining the CK expression, polyclonal low molecular weight CK (LMWCK) and high molecular weight CK (HMWCK) antibody cocktails, and monoclonal CK18 and CK19 antibodies were applied into tumoral and non-neoplastic mucosa sections with streptavidin-biotin peroxidase technique. Result. Tumors included squamous cell (SC), adenosquamous cell, verrucous, basaloid carcinomas and sarcomatoid carcinoma. Grade 2 SC cancer was the most prevalent type (63.3 %). On IHC, LMWCK and HMWCK were found to have diffuse expression that disables any prognostic implication. CK-18 expression seemed to diminish by grade but to increase by stage. CK-19 expression had positive correlation with both grade and stage (p=0.064). Conclusion. This study is first research evaluating the correlation of CK staining findings with pathologic prognostic factors. Findings of this CK cocktail study suggest that these markers are not optimal for decision making of hyperplastic mucosa and differentiation degree in neoplasias, as they include a variety of CK classes that result in diffuse cytoplasmic staining. However with the addition of certain monoclonal CKs, CK-18 and 19 could have prognostic implications in SC carcinomas of larynx.

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Larynx cancer , squamous cell carcinoma , tumor markers , cytokeratins , prognosis

Cumhuriyet Medical Journal

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