Detection of Epithelial Membrane Antigen among Sudanese Patients with Skin Cancers using immunohistochemical

Abstract

This is a hospital based descriptive retrospective study conducted at Omdurman Teaching Hospital during the period from January to April 2015, aimed to detect Epithelial Membrane Antigen (EMA) in skin cancer. A total of 38 blocks previously diagnosed as skin cancer were selected for this study. The patient ages ranged between 4 years to 93 years with mean age of 55 years. One section of three micron was cut from each block and stained using immunohistochemical method using modified Dako indirect technique for EMA detection. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS program version 11.5. Out of 38 samples with skin cancer histopathological diagnoses revealed 27(71.1%) as squamous cell carcinoma and 11(28.9%) as basal cell carcinoma. The grade of squamous cell carcinoma showed 17(63%) as well differentiated, 7(25.9) as moderately differentiated and 3(11.1) as poorly differentiated. Positive expression of EMA was detected (16) 95% in squamous cell carcinoma and(1) 5% in basal cell carcinoma, with significant relation between EMA expression and type of cancers. Positive expression common among well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma while moderate and poor differentiated show commonly negative result with no significant relation between EMA expression and grades of squamous cell cancinoma. The study concluded that EMA expression may helps in differentiation between squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.