Table 2. RT–PCR marker analysis according to lymph node staging (n=78) or patient staging (n=22).
|
SLN histological staging
|
Patient staging
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative node (n=57) | ITC (n=12) | MI (n=5) | MA (n=4) | SLN− (n=16) | SLN+ (n=6) | |
| CK17 | ||||||
| Negative | 9 (15.8%) | 2 (16.6%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 13 (81%) | 0 (0%) |
| Positive | 48 (84.2%) | 10 (83.3%) | 5 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 3 (19%) | 6 (100%) |
| SSCA | ||||||
| Negative | 36 (63.1%) | 6 (50%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 15 (94%) | 0 (0%) |
| Positive | 21 (36.8%) | 6 (50%) | 5 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 1 (6%) | 6 (100%) |
| PVA | ||||||
| Negative | 57/57 (100%) | 12/12 (100%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 16 (100%) | 0 (0%) |
| Positive | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 5 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 0 (0%) | 6 (100%) |
Abbreviations: CK17=cytokeratin 17; ITC=isolated tumour cell; MA=macrometastasis; MI=micrometastasis; RT–PCR=reverse transcriptase-PCR; SLN=sentinel lymph node; PVA=Pemphigus vulgaris antigen; SSCA=Squamous cell carcinoma antigen.