Immunohistochemical testing using antibody panels has a valuable role in cancer diagnosis. Some tumors, especially more malignant ones, tend to lose the appearance of the tissue of origin. However, knowing the tissue of origin assists the physician in selecting the best treatment thus a differential diagnosis is required.
One such example is a tumor containing large cells that somewhat resembles epithelium cells. This could be an undifferentiated melanoma, lymphoma or carcinoma. In order to distinguish between these possibilities, it is recommended to test the tumor tissue using a panel of antibodies against the following substances: keratin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, leukocyte common antigen (CD45), S100 protein and HMB-45. The pattern of positive versus negative reactions will enable the type of the tumor to be determined.
The vast antibody catalog offered here at Novus Biologicals offers all these antibodies. What is more, the anti-HMB-45 antibody comes combined with two other melanoma-specific antibodies. This triple mixture makes it able to identify the minority of melanomas that do not react with anti-HMB-45 antibody.
The use of an antibody panel gives the scientist vital information about the tissue from which the tumor originated. This enables him to select the most specific targeted treatment available. The patient has a double advantage. Firstly, targeted treatment helps to avoid adverse drug effects in normal tissues. Secondly, targeting the drug where it is needed makes treatment more effective, resulting in better prospects for the patient’s survival.
