Association of Expression of Cytokeratins or Ki-67 antigen with Prognosis in trichilemmal carcinoma

It is difficult to evaluate the biological behavior of trichilemmal carcinoma (TC). This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between the expression of cytokeratins or Ki-67 antigen and metastasis to regional lymph nodes. Specimens from primary lesions of ten cases TC, 4 cases with regional lymph node metastasis and6without metastasis were used. Immunohistochemical staining of cytokerations and Ki-67 antigen was conducted in TC. For immunohistochemical analysis, AE3, AE1, DC10 (murine monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins), and MIB-1 (a murine monoclonal antibody against arecombinant part of the Ki-67 nuclear antigen) were used. In all cases of TC, positive immunostaining with AE3 and AE1 was observed. Staining intensity with AE3 and AE1 diminished in basaloid cells predominant in the primary lesions of TC with metastasis. Staining with DC10 was not observed. Mean MIB-1 index (percentage of Ki-67 positive tumor cells) was significantly higher in cases with metastasis than without metastasis (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of cytokeratins and Ki-67 antigen makes possible clarification of the biological behavior of malignancy of TC.

trichilemmal carcinoma

cytokeratins

Ki-67 antigen