Immunohistochemical expression of CEA in Head and Neck Squamous and Adenosquamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an epithelial malignancy involvingmany anatomical sites and is the most common cancer capable of metastaticspread. Development of early diagnosis methods and novel therapeutics areimportant for prevention and mortality reduction.Aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of CEA in Head and NeckSquamous cell carcinoma and Adenosquamous carcinoma with the progression ofmalignant disease.Materials and Methods: Sections of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded blocksspecimens of (28)Squamous cell carcinoma and (5) Adenosquamous carcinomawere immunostained to assess the expression of CEA in Head and NeckSquamous cell carcinoma cases.Results: CEA expression was sometimes associated with cytoplasmic staining. Theintensity of staining was correlated with the grade of differentiation: grade I waspoorly positive staining, while grade III was generally deeply positive stainingConclusions: The immunohistochemical expression of CEA is useful, in addition toother diagnostic criteria, for establishing a differential diagnosis in the case ofprimary and metastatic cancer.