Expression and differential diagnostic significance of p63 and TTF-1 in lung cancer tissues

Objective:To investigate p63 、 TTF-1 expression and the value of the differential diagnoses in different tissue types of lung cancer . Methods: Using S-P immunohistochemical methods, we examined the expression of p63 and TTF-1 in 116 cases of primary lung cancer. Results: The positive rate of p63 was 100 (47/47) in primary lung squamous cell carcinoma . In contrast, other histologic types of lung cancer were negative or low expression.The positive rates of TTF-1 expression were 93.3 (14/15) and 93.5 (43/46) respectively in small cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of lung . In contrast, lung squamous cell carcinoma was negative. Conclusion: p63 and TTF-1 may be a useful immunohistochemical marker for lung squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma,adenocarcinoma of lung respectively . Combined examination of p63 and TTF-1 is valuable in the differential diagnosis in different histologic types of lung cancer . Especially it may be as a marker in distinguishing poorly differentiated squamous carcinoma,small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of lung .