The Utility of HMW-CK and CK5/6 Immunohistochemical Stains for Differentiating Ductal Proliferative Lesions and Ducal Carcinoma of the Breast

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Basal-type cytokeratins may help to distinguish benign from malignant intraductal proliferative lesions. The basal-type cytokeratins expression is markedly decreased or absent in atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC). However, the expression patterns vary according to the antibodies that are used for staining. METHODS: HMW-CK (clone 34 E12) was applied to 175 lesions, and CK5/6 (clone D5/16B4) was applied to 145 lesions. The specimens were IDC (n=165), DCIS (n=35), ADH (n=37), florid ductal hyperplasia (FDH) (n=38) and columnar cell lesion (CCL) (n=45). The expression patterns of HMW-CK and CK5/6 were categorized as negative, focal positive and positive. RESULTS: Loss of the HMW-CK expression was noted in 76% (66/87) of the IDC, 78% (21/27) of the DCIS, 78% (21/28) of the ADH, and 55% (10/18) of the FDH. Loss of the CK5/6 expression was found in 96% (75/78) of the IDC, in all the DCIS (n=8) and ADH (n=9), and in none of the FDH (n=20). Loss of the CK5/6 expression is more reliable than that of the HMW-CK expression for differentiating FDH, ADH and malignant intraductal proliferatve lesions. Eleven (73%) of 15 CCLs revealed the loss of the HMW-CK expression, but all the CCLs (n=30) were negative for CK5/6 (p=0.0161). CONCLUSION: CK5/6 antibody is more reliable than HMW-CK antibody for differentiating FDH from ADH or DCIS, and for discriminating CCL.