[Immunohistochemical evaluation of micrometastases to cervical lymph nodes in supraglottic cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Supraglottic carcinomas of larynx tends to metastasize to cervical lymph nodes. The regular pathological method of diagnosis is easy to have the micrometastasis missed, and serial-sectioning is too difficult be used in the regular pathological examinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of immunohistochemical assay in the detection of micrometastasis.


METHODS
Monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) were used to detect the cervical lymph nodes of 46 cases (50 sides of neck) of supraglottic carcinoma with pathologically negative findings (pN0).


RESULTS
Micrometastases were identified in 13 lymph nodes of 11 cases.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that the detection of lymph node micrometastases with immunohistochemical method is more sensitive than that of regular pathologic method. It is comparable to serial sectioning. Therefore, It is a valuable clinical method to detect the early lymph node metastasis.
Yu
Z
Z
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Beijing Tongren Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730.
Han
D
D
Fan
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection