Specific cytokeratins in common carcinomas:

 

Cytokeratin (Moll's catalog)

Site and type of carcinoma

4

5

7

8

13

14

17

18

19

20

Skin: squamous carcinoma

 

+

 

 

 

+

 var2

 

var

 

skin: basal cell carcinoma

 

+2

 

var2

 

+2

 +2

 

 

 

Skin: Merkel cell

 

 

 

+

 

 -

 

+

+

+

Small cell carcinoma/carcinoid

 

 

 

+

 

 some

 

+

var

-

Oesophagus: squamous carcinoma

+

 

 

 

+

+

 

 

+

 

Lung: adenocarcinoma

 

 

+

+

 

some 

 

+

+

Mesothelioma

 

+

+

+

 

some

 

+

+

 

Breast

 

 

+

+

 

var2

var

+

+

-

Oesophagus: adenocarcinoma

 

 

 

 +2

 

 

 

+2

+2

var

Stomach

 

 

var

 var

 

 

var 

var 

var

Small intestine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+

Colorectum

 

 

some

+

 

some 

 var2

+

+

+

Pancreas

 

 

+

+

 

some 

var2 

+

+

var

Liver: hepatocellular

 

 

 some

+

 

 

+

some

rare 

Biliary tract

 

 

+ 

 

 

some 

 

 

 +

rare 

Ovary

mucinous

 

 

+

 

 

some

 

 

 

+

other

 

 

+

+

 

 

+

+

-

Endometrium

 

 

+

+ 

 

some 

 

 

 

Kidney: renal cell carcinoma

 

 

var 

+

 

 -

 

+

var

Urothelium:
transitional
cell carcinoma

low grade

+

 

+

+

+

some 

 

+

+

var

high grade

 

 

+

+

var

 

+

+

var 

Prostate: adenocarcinoma

 

 

var

+

 

 -

 

+

+

 

Thyroid

follicular

 

 

 

+

 

 -

 

+

var

papillary

 

 

 

+

 

 -

 

+

+

 -

Cytokeratin:

4

5

7

8

13

14

17

18

19

20

                       

The coordinate expression of cytokeratins 7 and 20 is particularly useful in identifying the primary site of a carcinoma.

References

Leong A S-Y, Cooper K and Leong FJ W-M. Manual of diagnostic antibodies for immunohistology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 1 900 151 316.

2Novocastra catalogue 2001

 

 

©SMUHT/PW Bishop