Abstract
The unclear role of cytokeratin (CK) in the progression and diagnostics of malignant melanomas stimulated us to compare the reactivity of three antibodies directed to CK in 109 paraffin-embedded melanomas. By far the majority of melanomas did not express cytokeratin even at the <1% level, only vimentin. In about 6% of melanomas it was possible to find CK expression ranging between 3 and 40% of melanoma cells. There was a correlation between CK expression and pT-stage. Cytokeratin-expressing tumours were found in the more advanced pT-stages. The independent prognostic values of none of the three CK antibodies investigated could be shown.
Footnotes
- Received March 22, 2004.
- Accepted June 15, 2004.
- Copyright© 2004 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved
