MOC-31 Antibody Immunolabeling During Mohs Surgery

Area of Science:

• Dermatopathology
• Surgical Pathology
• Immunohistochemistry

Background:

• Ber-EP4 antibody targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) labeling.
• MOC-31, another Ep-CAM targeting antibody, is used for extracutaneous tumors but its utility in cutaneous tumors and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is less defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate MOC-31 antibody labeling in BCC and other cutaneous tumors.
• Compare the immunolabeling intensity of MOC-31 and Ber-EP4 in BCC specimens.

Main Methods:

• MOC-31 was used to label 19 permanent and 29 frozen BCC specimens, plus 23 other cutaneous tumors.
• Labeling intensity was recorded for tumors, epidermis, and adnexal structures.
• A blinded dermatopathologist compared MOC-31 and Ber-EP4 labeling in 8 BCC specimens.

Main Results:

• MOC-31 labeled all BCC specimens.
• While eccrine coils and follicular bulbs showed variable labeling, MOC-31's utility was not compromised.
• MOC-31 showed positivity in some squamous cell carcinomas and Merkel cell carcinomas.
• MOC-31 and Ber-EP4 demonstrated similar labeling patterns in BCCs.

Conclusions:

• MOC-31 is a sensitive antibody for detecting BCCs in both frozen and permanent specimens relevant to MMS.
• MOC-31 exhibits comparable immunolabeling characteristics to Ber-EP4 for BCC identification.