Ann Coloproctol.  2016 Aug;32(4):150-155. 10.3393/ac.2016.32.4.150.

Efficacy of Immunohistochemical Staining in Differentiating a Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Poorly Differentiated Rectal Cancer: Two Case Reports

• Rami S
• Han YD
• Jang M
• Cho MS
• Hur H
• Min BS
• Lee KY
• Kim NK

• KMID: 2400013
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3393/ac.2016.32.4.150

Abstract

A rectal carcinoma, including primary an adenosquamous and a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is a very rare disease, accounting for 0.025% to 0.20% of all large-bowel malignant tumors. Because SCCs have a higher mortality than adenosquamous carcinomas, determining whether the primary rectal cancer exhibits an adenomatous component or a squamous component is important. While differentiating between these 2 components, especially in poorly differentiated rectal cancer, is difficult, specific immunohistochemical stains enable accurate diagnoses. Here, we report the use of immunohistochemical stains to distinguish between the adenomatous and the squamous components in 2 patients with low rectal cancer, a 58-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman, who were initially diagnosed using the histopathologic results for a poorly differentiated carcinoma. These data suggest that using these immunohistochemical stains will help to accurately diagnose the type of rectal cancer, especially for poorly differentiated carcinomas, and will provide important information to determine the proper treatment for the patient.

Keyword

Adenosquamous carcinoma; Squamous cell carcinoma; Rectal neoplasms; Immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Aged
Carcinoma, Adenosquamous
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Coloring Agents
Diagnosis
Epithelial Cells*
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Middle Aged
Mortality
Rare Diseases
Rectal Neoplasms*
Coloring Agents