2
Diagnosis
Table 2. Immunohistochemical Markers Useful for the
Diagnosis of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Immunohistochemical
marker DTC MTC
ATC SCC Lymphoma
Pankeratin (AE1/AE3) + + +/– +
–
a
High molecular weight
keratins
+ (PTC)
– (FTC)
– –/+ + –
TTF –1 + +/– –/+ – –
PAX8 + +/– +/– –
+/–
b
yroglobulin + – – – –
Synaptophysin – + – – –
Chromogranin – + – – –
Calcitonin – + – – –
CEA – + – – –
P53 – (rare +) – + +/– + / –
E–cadherin + – + –
B–catenin membranous nuclear
or –
+ / –
(nuclear)
CD45 +
+, positive; – , negative; + / – , usually positive, oen negative; – / +, usually negative,
may be positive.
a
Plasmablastic lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and very rarely some diffuse large B
cell lymphomas can express cytokeratin that is detected by AE1/AE3 cytokeratin monoclonal
antibodies.
b
PAX8 was detected by immunohistochemistry in normal B cells, but was not studied in lymphoma.
It is very likely that various lymphomas express PAX8.
Table 3. Residual Tumor (R) Classification
R0 = No residual tumor
R1 = Microscopic residual tumor
R2 = Macroscopic residual tumor
RX = Presence of residual tumor cannot be assessed
Source: Edge et al. 2010 AJCC Cancer Staging Handbook: From the AJCC Cancer Staging
Manual, 7th ed. Springer-Verlag, New York.
