Cytokeratin 14 as a marker of squamous differentiation in transitional cell carcinomas

摘要

The presence of squamous differentiation in transitional cell carcinomas has been variably related to prognosis and response to radiotherapy. This study sought to establish whether cytokeratin (CK) 14, normally expressed in the basal cells of squamous epithelium, could be used as a reliable marker of the emergence of a squamous phenotype in transitional cell carcinomas. In a series of 42 tumours, CK14 was expressed in areas of squamous Morphology, whereas CD20 identified Continuing urothelial differentiation.