6533b854fe1ef96bd12ae8f9

RESEARCH PRODUCT

An immunohistochemical and biochemical study of cytokeratin polypeptides in a non-Paget type adenocarcinoma of the vulva

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SummaryThe intermediate filament composition was studied in a malignant neoplasm of the vulva in a 42 year old patient. The absence of vimentin excluded the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Anaplastic squamous cell carcinoma could be excluded by the presence of glandular type cytokeratins numbers 7, 8, 18, 19 in the neoplastic cells. Intermediate filament typing did not support a diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma. Since the typical epidermal involvement by tumour cells was lacking, Paget's disease was excluded. Metastatic adenocarcinoma was excluded by the lack of relevant clinical findings. It was concluded that the lesion represented an adenocarcinoma of the vulva of the non-Paget type most likely arising in sweat glands. This diagnosis was supported by the cytokeratin polypeptide composition of the tumour. This case emphasises the value of intermediate filament typing in controversial neoplasms of the vulva.