Histochemical polymorphism of keratin pearls in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Abstract

The aim of the research is to study histochemical features of keratin pearls in keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of lung irrespective of its localization. Methods: histochemical methods of staining have been also used during the investigation: neutral fats stained with Sudan III and with finish hematoxylin staining. Combined histochemical staining has been also used: neutral mucoproteins and acid glycosaminoglycans with PASreaction- alcian blue and PAS-reaction with tionine blue. The results of histological and histochemical analyses detected three types of keratin pearls of different structures and tinctorial features: eosinophilic or tionine-positive, PAS-positive (containing glycogen) and light or sudanophilic (containing lipids). Taking into consideration the obtained data, it can be assumed that tumor clusters with heterogenous keratin pearls by tinctorial features are differed according to the degree of cells’ differentiation, keratinization and related to various stages of tumor progression. Histochemical analyses of keratin pearls are not normally taken into consideration during morphological studies and it is regarded as differentiated keratinizing cancer. However, the results of morphological investigations show that it is necessary to consider histochemical features of cancerous clusters for adequate morphological analysis of tumor progression.