Should Mucin Histochemistry Be Routinely Done For Carcinoma Cervix
2714-2720
Correspondence
PREETI( M.D. Pathology)
Department of Pathology
Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda(INDIA).
E. mail: dr_priti77@yahoo.com
Aim: The primary objective of our study is to find out prevalence of mucin secretion in cervical carcinoma by mucin histochemistry with special reference to squamous cell carcinoma; diagnosed by Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain and to find the relative incidence of invasive carcinoma on the basis of H&E stain versus mucin stains.
Materials & Methods:Biopsies from 223 cases of carcinoma cervix were subjected to H&E stain and mucin stains i.e. Periodic acid schiff with diastase (DPAS) and Alcian blue at pH 2.5. Interpretation of cases on the basis of H&E staining alone and on the basis of mucin stains was done and the results were compared with each other.
Results: Morphological assessment on the basis of H&E stain showed 201(90.1%) cases of squamous cell carcinoma, out of these 132(59.2%) cases were moderately differentiated and 62(27.8%) cases were poorly differentiated. On application of mucin stains 29(13.0%) cases and 2(0.9%) cases out of 201 cases of squamous cell carcinoma were re-classified as squamous carcinoma with mucin secretion and adenosquamous carcinoma respectively.
Conclusion: Mucin stains should be done routinely on moderately and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma for evidence of mucin secretion which can be missed on H&E stain. Such carcinomas are known to have a more aggressive clinical course associated with a poorer survival when compared to non-mucin secreting squamous cell carcinoma.