Value and limitations of immunostaining in the diagnosis of superficial oral cancer and oral epithelial dysplasia

Abstract

Early detection and diagnosis of oral epithelial dysplasia （OED） and carcinoma in situ （CIS） improve treatment outcomes and prognosis in oral cancer. Hyperplasia, regenerative changes, and reactive atypical epithelium as a result of stimulation and inflammation are often observed in the oral region.
Staining with hematoxylin and eosin （H&E） to diagnose OED and CIS in biopsy specimens is often difficult. Hence, immunostaining with CK13, CK17, CK19, p53, Ki-67, and p40 can assist pathologists in diagnosing oral cancer in its early stages.
However, immunostaining alone may produce false positives or false negatives. Therefore, confirmation of immunostaining with H&E is imperative. Furthermore, the results should also be correlated with the clinician’s judgment and the patient’s clinical course.