[Cytokeratin and vimentin expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

Abstract

The present study employed immunohistochemical methods to study the cytokeratin (ck) and vimentin expression in 40 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Specific monoclonal isoform antibodies and mixes of antibodies vs. a specific molecule were used in order to determine what cytokeratins were present as accurately as possible. In this sampling two ck patterns were identified based on whether the ck pair 8/18 was present or not. The ck 8/18 positive cases were further broken down into three sub-groups based on the expression of one of the following: the ck 4/13 pair, ck 1/10 pair or vimentin. A statistically significant relationship was found between these sub-groups, the site at which the neoplasm arose and the tendency toward regional metastases. Moreover, it was found that the presence of ck 13 in a squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with the less aggressive forms, as indicated in the literature.