Indications and pitfalls of immunohistochemistry in head and neck cancer
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Published on: June 14, 2019
Décio de Natale Caly1, Acklei Viana, Abrão Rapoport
1Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) aids head and neck tumor diagnosis. IHC was utilized in 10.67% of cases, primarily for identifying squamous cell carcinomas.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a valuable tool in tumor diagnostics.
- Accurate diagnosis of head and neck tumors is crucial for effective treatment planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the application and frequency of IHC in the differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors.
- To identify the most common tumor types and antibodies used in IHC for these cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of cases from an institutional Cancer Registry.
- Review of pathology reports to determine the utilization of IHC in head and neck tumor cases.
Main Results:
- IHC was performed in 11% of 704 head and neck pathology tests.
- Carcinomas, predominantly squamous cell carcinomas, represented the majority of cases (85.80%).
- Commonly used antibodies included 34BE12, AE1/AE3, and CD markers.
Conclusions:
- IHC is employed in 10.67% of head and neck tumor cases for diagnostic purposes.
- Its use is significant in determining squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for 18.42% of all tumors.
Unlabelled:
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been employed in the differential diagnosis of tumors.
Objective:
To assess the use of IHC in cases of head and neck tumor.
Method:
This is a retrospective study of the cases included in the Cancer Registry of the institution.
Results:
IHC was used in 76 (11%) of 704 pathology tests. Most cases were carcinomas (85.80%), and 83.66% of them were squamous cell carcinomas. All tests were done with diagnostic purposes. The most frequently used antibodies were 34BE12 (37.18%), AE1/AE3 (35.9%), 35BH11 (28.21%), CD45 (25.64%), CD20 (24.36%), CD30 (24.36%), CK7 (23.08%) and CD3 (23.08%).
Conclusions:
IHC was used in 10.67% of the head and neck tumor cases submitted to pathology testing, mostly for carcinoma (5.26%). In the determination of squamous cell carcinoma, IHC accounted for 18.42% of all tumors.
