Open AccessDiagnostic Utility of Cytokeratin 17 Immunostaining in Morpheaform Basal Cell Carcinoma and for Facilitating the Detection of Tumor Cells at the Surgical Margins
Author(s) -
AndersonDockter Heidi,
Clark Todd,
Iwamoto Satori,
Lu Ming,
Fiore David,
Falanga Jane K.,
Falanga Vincent
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
dermatologic surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.659
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1524-4725
pISSN - 1076-0512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2012.02417.x
Subject(s) - immunostaining , cytokeratin , basal cell carcinoma , pathology , medicine , carcinoma , basal cell , tumor cells , immunohistochemistry , cancer research
Background The morpheaform subtype of basal cell carcinoma ( BCC ) often presents a diagnostic histological challenge, and its true margin may be difficult to determine with accuracy. This tumor may also be difficult to distinguish from other adnexal neoplasms having a benign clinical course. Previous work has shown that cytokeratin 17 ( CK 17 or K 17) expression is high in BCC . Objective To confirm the expression of K 17 across the subtypes of superficial, nodular and morpheaform BCC variants and to compare K 17 expression in each of these subtypes of BCC with that in two other adnexal neoplasms. Methods Tissue specimens from each tumor category were randomly collected, immunolabeled, and scored for K 17 expression according to intensity and extent of immunostaining. Results Our results indicate that K 17 is a useful marker in the identification and outlining of BCC . Moreover, in morpheaform BCC , K 17 immunostaining clearly detected individual tumor cells well away from the dermal tumor strands that otherwise seemed nonmalignant according to hematoxylin and eosin staining alone. In addition, the expression of K 17 in morpheaform BCC is capable (100% of specimens; p < .001) of distinguishing this tumor from desmoplastic trichoepithelioma. Conclusion We propose that K 17 immunostaining could improve the diagnostic and surgical management of these tumors.