SIGNIFICANCE OF IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY IN ACCURATE CHARACTERIZATION OF MALIGNANT TUMORS

Authors

  • Zubair Ahmed
  • Najamul Sahar Azad
  • Yasmeen Bhurgari
  • Rashida Ahmed
  • Naila Kayani
  • Shahid Pervez
  • Sheema Hasan

Abstract

Background: To determine in a large series of surgical biopsies the role and significance ofimmunohistochemistry in the adequate and accurate characterization of malignant tumors.Methods: A retrospective study of 20,000 consecutive surgical biopsies reported in the Section ofHistopathology, AKU in 2003. Data was obtained by retrieving the filed surgical biopsy reports inthe section. Results and Conclusions: Out of the 20,000 biopsies, 6534 (32.67%) wereneoplastic. 4726 neoplasms (72.33%) were malignant, and 1808 (27.67%) were benign.Immunohistochemistry was performed on 29.49% of malignant tumors, and 4.97% of benigntumors. Immunos were performed on only 2.82% of routine squamous cell carcinomas andadenocarcinomas of various organs, and in only 1.9% of infiltrating breast carcinomas, thecommonest malignant tumors in females. In contrast, immunos were performed on 97.12% ofnon-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, 97.94% of Hodgkin’s lymphomas, 98.09% of malignant spindle cellneoplasms, 87.96% of small round blue cell tumors of childhood, 87.30% of neuroendocrineneoplasms, and 84.37% cases of malignant melanomas. In addition, immunos were performed onall cases of malignant undifferentiated neoplasms and were able to resolve the issue in over 89%of such cases. Immunos were also performed on 54.74% of metastatic tumors. Lymph nodes werethe commonest organs on which immunos were performed i.e. 96.50% of lymph node tumors,followed by CNS and renal neoplasms with 33.01% and 25.92% respectively.Key Words: Malignant tumours, Karachi, Immunochemistry

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