Distinction of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma from adenoid cystic and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma by immunohistochemistry

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 609 - 612
• Main Authors: Morice, William G., Ferreiro, Jorge A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-06-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Neoplasm - analysis; basaloid squamous cell carcinoma; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic - chemistry; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic - pathology; Carcinoma, Basosquamous - chemistry; Carcinoma, Basosquamous - pathology; Carcinoma, Small Cell - chemistry; Carcinoma, Small Cell - pathology; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Keratins - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - chemistry; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - pathology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; squamous cell carcinoma; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; ACC; NSE; SCC; basaloid squamous cell carcinoma; SCUC; EBV; immunohistochemistry; BSCC; squamous cell carcinoma; Cylindroma; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Pathology; Squamous cell carcinoma; Upper aerodigestive tract; ENT disease; Malignant tumor; Small cell carcinoma; Differential diagnostic; Adenoid cystic carcinoma; Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/S0046-8177(98)80011-7

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a recently recognized variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with a predilection to occur in the tongue base, hypopharynx, and supraglottic larynx. In small biopsy specimens, these tumors can be difficult to distinguish from small cell undifferentiated carcinoma (SCUC) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Monoclonal antibodies reactive with cytokeratin (AE1/AE3, 34βE12, Cam 5.2) as well as a variety of other cellular antigens (vimentin, actin, desmin, chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD57, neuron-specific enolase [NSE], and S100) were used in an immunoperoxidase method with paraffin-embedded tissue to phenotypically characterize 23 cases of BSCC, 10 cases of SCUC, and 15 cases of ACC. The neoplastic cells in 22 of the 23 cases of BSCC reacted with the high-molecular-weight cytokeratin antibody 34βE12, whereas no reactivity was seen in any of the 10 cases of SCUC. This pattern of 34βE12 reactivity more consistently differentiated BSCC from SCUC than did reactivity with the neuroendocrine markers chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD57, and NSE. These findings show that immunoperoxidase stains performed on paraffin-embedded tissue are potentially useful in establishing a diagnosis of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.