Immunohistochemical Determination of Primary Sites of Carcinomas

Abstract

Today's pathologists must often determine whether a tumor is a primary or metastatic carcinoma. Although there is no one screening panel of antibodies that can be used, there are several approaches to facilitate the diagnosis: analysis of expression or non-expression of cytokeratins, carcinoembryonic antigen, vimentin, and tissue-specific antigens. These markers must be considered in the context of the actual clinical situation rather than a hypothetical one. (The J Histotechnol 22:209, 1999)