Identification of Malignant Cells in Serous Fluids Using a Panel of Monoclonal Cytokeratin Antibodies, Epithelial Membrane Antigen(EMA) , Carcino Embryonic Antigen (CEA)

Abstract Background and Objective: Identification of malignant cells and the type of malignancy in Effusionsis very important. The main aim of this study was to differentiate between reactive mesothelial cells and malignant cells and to determine the type of the tumor cells in effusions with the aid of tumor markers Creatine Kinase (CK), EMA and CEA. Material and Methods: Forty serous fluid cytology samples delivered to pathology laboratory of Panje- Azar Hospital (15 were malignant and 25 were suspected for malignancy) were stained by immunocytochemistry technique with the aid of aforementioned tumor markers, CK, EMA and CEA. Results: Of 15 malignancy cases, 13 were positive for three markers and the rest were negative just for CEA. In 25 of suspected to malignancy for EMA: 15 were strongly and 6 weakly positive and 4 were negative for CK : 10 were strongly and 5 weakly positive and 5 cases were negative and for CEA : 5 were strongly and 5 weakly positive and 15 were negative. Conclusion: Totally, % 87.5 of malignant fluid were positive for CK marker and %90 for EMA marker. EMA and CK were found to be the most reliable epithelial markers and very useful in differentiating carcinoma cells from reactive mesithelial cells. In Ten (40%) of the samples suspected to adenocarcinoma, CEA was positive and this indicate that CEA can be an important reference for identifying malignant effusions. Keywords: Monoclonal Antibody Cytokeratin Epithelial Memberane Antigen Carcinoemberyonic Antigen