Immunohistochemical Detection of Cluster of Differentiation 117 Tumor Marker in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Abstract

This is a hospital based retrospective descriptive case study aimed to detect the expression of cluster of differentiation molecule 117 (CD117) in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors using immunohistochemical method. The study was conducted in Radiation and Isotope Center-Khartoum (RICK) during the period from March to August 2013. Thirty paraffin blocks were collected using simple random collection method at Radiation and Isotope Center-Khartoum from patients who underwent surgical resection for gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The paraffin blocks were cut using rotary microtome, and then stained by routine haemtoxylin and eosin for histopathology diagnosis and by immunohistochemical method (new indirect method) for detection of CD117. The age of patients ranged between 1 and 75 years with mean age of 51 years. The study revealed that the most patients were older than 50 years representing 19 (63.3%) and the remaining 11 (36.7%) were younger than 50 years. Out of thirty samples the study showed that the predominance of patients were males representing 18 (60.0%) and 12 (40.0%) were females. CD117 result among study samples showed positive expression in 28 (93.3%) patients, and negative expression in 2 (6.7%) patients. The biological behaviour of tumor in samples revealed that 23 (76.7%) were benign and the remaining 7 (23.3%) were malignant. The study concluded that there is a high frequency of CD117 positive expression among gastrointestinal stromal tumors, with no statistical association with the biological behaviour of the tumor (benign or maligna