title: Cytokeratin positivity in paraffin-embedded malignant melanomas: comparative study of KL1, A4 and Lu5 antibodies.
abstract: The unclear role of cytokeratin (CK) in the progression and diagnostics of malignant melanomas stimulated us to compare the reactivity of three antibodies directed to CK in 109 paraffin-embedded melanomas. By far the majority of melanomas did not express cytokeratin even at the<1% level, only vimentin. In about 6% of melanomas it was possible to find CK expression ranging between 3 and 40% of melanoma cells. There was a correlation between CK expression and pT-stage. Cytokeratin-expressing tumours were found in the more advanced pT-stages. The independent prognostic values of none of the three CK antibodies investigated could be shown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytopathology, Georg-August University Göttingen, Robert Koch Str 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korabiowska
authors.forename: Gösta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinacker
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stachura
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cordon-Cardo
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brinck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007633:Keratins