Diagnosis of micrometastasis in lymph nodes of patients with pancreatic cacarcinoma by using pan CK staining

Purpose To detect micrometastasis of pancreatic carcinoma by labeling cytokeratin with immuneohistochemistry in lymph nodes around the dissected pancreatic carcinoma specimen.Methods Equential slices methods was used to examine 938 lymph nodes by cytokeratin(CK) staining and routine hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining.Results The positive rates of lymph nodes metastasis detected with routine histology and CK staining were 1.0%(10/938) and 4.4%(42/938),respectively.There was significant difference(P0.001) in the diagnosis of lymph nodes metastasis between CK and HE staining.The diagnosis ratio of micrometastasis raised about 15.3%(8/52) by CK staining than HE staining.Conclusions Cytokeratin staining is necessary in accurate evaluation of lymph node metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma,and has important clinical significance in evaluating prognosis and directing treatment.