[Cytokeratin expression in spinocellular carcinoma of the uterine cervix]

Expression of cytokeratins 7, 8, 10, 14, 18 and 19 was studied in 48 cases of advanced (stage II and III) squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix. Despite of the degree of differentiation, the expression of simple epithelia cytokeratins 8 (72.9%) and 19 (97.9%) was high. A subset of eight (16.6%) predominantly poorly differentiated tumours had the expression restricted to simple epithelia pattern (cytokeratin 7 and/or 8 and 18 and/or 19). In twenty cases (41.7%) the cytokeratin 14 was added to this pattern, representing an intermediate differentiation level, while the other twenty tumours, usually exhibiting more pronounced squamous differentiation had the most complete cytokeratin pattern including class 10. This grouping was of no prognostic significance but might represent a valuable tool in the classification of cervical squamous cell carcinoma.