[Immunohistochemical evaluation of micrometastases to cervical lymph nodes in supraglottic cancer].

OBJECTIVE

Supraglottic carcinomas of larynx tends to metastasize to cervical lymph nodes. The regular pathological method of diagnosis is easy to have the micrometastasis missed, and serial-sectioning is too difficult be used in the regular pathological examinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of immunohistochemical assay in the detection of micrometastasis.

METHODS

Monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) were used to detect the cervical lymph nodes of 46 cases (50 sides of neck) of supraglottic carcinoma with pathologically negative findings (pN0).

RESULTS

Micrometastases were identified in 13 lymph nodes of 11 cases.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that the detection of lymph node micrometastases with immunohistochemical method is more sensitive than that of regular pathologic method. It is comparable to serial sectioning. Therefore, It is a valuable clinical method to detect the early lymph node metastasis.