Immunodetection of neuron-specific enolase and keratin in cytological preparations as an aid in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer.
The results of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and keratin immunodetection in cytological specimens of sputum secured from 41 patients with lung cancer are presented. All 19 cases of small-cell carcinoma showed intense immunoreactivity for NSE. No such immunoreactivity was found in 21 of 22 cases of non-small-cell carcinoma. The single positive result was from a case of large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma. All 10 cases of squamous-cell carcinoma showed immunoreactivity for keratin. The 19 cases of small-cell carcinoma showed no such reactivity. Our findings indicate that immunostaining for NSE and keratin is a valuable aid when a definite diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma of the lung can not be made on the basis of conventional cytologic features.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013183:Sputum / Q000032:analysis
D007633:Keratins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase