Immunohistochemical expression of cytokeratins and epithelial membrane protein 2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its potential implications.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive disease and tends to involve surrounding tissues, and biomarkers for better management are yet to be identified. One hundred and fifty tissue samples with NPC diagnosis were were investigated using pan cytokeratin (CK) and epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) antibodies. Immunohistochemical expression of CK was identified in 144/150 (96%) and of EMP2 in 120/150 (80%). There is a high loss of EMP2 in NPC, especially high grade examples. Loss of CK expression is also linked to high grade NPC types.