comparing the diagnostic outcomes of staining various breast lesions with either anti-ck 5/6 or anti-ck 5

Background and objective: anti-ck5/6 monoclonal antibodies have an established role in breast disease diagnosis. anti-ck5 monoclonal antibodies have recently become commercially available. there has been growing interest in the staining characteristics of anti-ck5 and its potential diagnostic role in place of anti-ck5/6. we aim to compare and contrast the staining characteristics of anti-ck5/6 vs anti-ck5. material and methods: 58 tissue blocks containing 122 different lesions were selected from tissue archives. two specimens (groups) were taken from each lesion one (group) was stained with anti-ck5 and the other (group) with anti-ck5/6 monoclonal antibodies, using the streptavidin-biotin immuno-peroxidase method. the two groups of slides were compared and contrasted for lesion staining pattern and for intensity, using light microscopy. results: results showed that the diagnostic staining pattern was exactly the same in both anti-ck5 and anti-ck5/6 groups, and also showed that anti-ck5, stained most of the lesions more intensely than anti-ck5/6. conclusion: anti-ck5 performed at least as well (for lesion-pattern staining), and better (for lesion staining intensity) than did anti-ck5/6 in the diagnosis of a wide range of breast tissues and lesions. it may be justified to safely replace anti-ck5/6 with anti-ck5 in future routine clinical use, with resultant diagnostic and economic benefits.