Description

Cytokeratins 5 and 14 are, like cytokeratin 6, very reliable markers for squamous cell epithelia. Using antibody cocktails against these cytokeratins is helpful for the detection of basal cell layers and myoepithelia. Their use is well established for differential diagnosis of atypical proliferations and DCIS of the breast. Sporadic loss of CK5/14 epithelium staining, along with p63, typically occurs in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), with nearly complete loss in prostate cancer. Studies have shown that CK5/14-positive sporadic breast cancers arise from glandularly committed progenitor cells and represent about 9% of sporadic invasive ductal breast cancers and 78% of BRCA1-associated tumors.