NTU Undergraduates' research April 2014 - Biosciences | Page 36

The Analysis of p40 Expression in the Differentiation of Squamous Cell
Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Shirelle Davis
School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.

ARTICLE INFO
Article submitted on
15 April 2014
Key Words:
ADC
SCC
IHC
NSCLC
p40
p63
lung
specificity
expression
ΔNp63
TAp63

ABSTRACT

Thus the use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the histological differentiation of
squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) must be accurate as treatment
depends on sub-type in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However the technique is
challenged as antibodies lack complete tumour-type specificity and sensitivity. p63 has
been used for the differentiation of SCC but studies have shown reactivity in ADC. The aim
of the retrospective study was to analyse p40 expression for its differentiation of lung SCC.
Immunostaining with p40 was performed on paraffin-waxed tissue blocks previously
diagnosed with ADC (n=30) and SCC (n=30). Cases previously diagnosed with p63 gave rise
to a subtotal of ADC (n=18) and SCC (n=18) cases. Th R7F