title: Immunohistochemical localisation of keratin in small cell carcinoma of the lung: correlation with response to combination chemotherapy.
abstract: Immunohistochemical localisation of keratin was assessed on 45 diagnostic specimens of small cell carcinoma of the lung in patients who subsequently received combination chemotherapy. Nine out of 45 (20%) contained keratin immunoreactive cells. Six of these achieved a complete response to treatment compared to 12 of the tumours which did not show positive staining for keratin. For 2 patients the tumours were shown to contain nests of keratin immunoreactive cells. Both of these are alive and free of disease more than 5 yr after the initial diagnosis. The results indicate that the presence of keratin immunoreactive cells may not directly equate with squamous differentiation and therefore not constitute an adverse prognostic factor in terms of response to chemotherapy.
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins