Role of fine needle aspiration cytology, cell block preparation and CD63, P63 and CD56 immunostaining in classifying the specific tumor type of the lung

Objective: To determine whether CD63, p63 and CD56 are useful in the diagnostic evaluation of cytologic samples of pulmonary malignancy. Study Design: We explored the utility of using a panel of 3 antibodies, CD63, p63 and CD56, for the diagnosis of lung cancer in cytologic samples consisting of 40 cases of cell block sections and previously Papanicolaou-stained cytologic smear slides. Results: The positive rates for CD63, p63 and CD56 were as follows: adenocarcinoma (18/19), (0/19), (0/19), for small cell lung carcinoma (3/8), (0/8), (8/8), and for squamous cell carcinoma (0/13), (12/13), (0/13). All p63 positive cases were squamous cell carcinoma, and all CD56 positive cases were small cell lung carcinoma. CD63 was positive in the majority of adenocarcinomas. Conclusion: The panel of CD63, p63 and CD56 appears to be useful in the diagnostic evaluation of cytologic samples of pulmonary malignancy.