Grading system of lymphatic invasion according to D2-40 immunostaining is useful for the prediction of nodal metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

AIMS: To determine the relationship between lymphatic invasion detected by D2-40 immunostaining and nodal metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-five cases of FIGO stage IB to IIB SCC of the cervix, treated by radical hysterectomy and lymph node dissection, were examined. Immunohistochemistry for D2-40 was performed. Overestimation of lymphatic invasion on conventional histological examination was demonstrated by assessment of D2-40 immunoreactivity in 22 cases. A significant difference in lymphatic invasion detected by D2-40 immunostaining was found between the metastatic group (30 cases) and the non-metastatic group (45 cases) (P < 0.001). A grading system (grade 0-2) of lymphatic invasion according to D2-40 immunostaining was devised. Subsequently, the frequency of nodal metastasis significantly increased in accordance with the grade of lymphatic invasion (P < 0.001) and in eight cases with grade 2, seven cases (87.5%) had nodal metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: In cervical SCC, a grading system for lymphatic invasion according to D2-40 immunostaining is useful for the prediction of nodal metastasis and grade 2 lymphatic invasion is a strong predictor of nodal metastasis.