[Diagnostic value of microtubule-associated protein-2 in small cell lung carcinoma: an analysis of 240 biopsy cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in biopsy of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). METHODS: Immunohistochemical technique was applied to detect the expression of synaptophysin (Syn), chromogranin A (CgA), CD56, MAP-2 and TTF-1 in 240 cases of SCLC from 2008 to 2011 in this hospital. RESULTS: The positive rate of MAP-2 expression in SCLC was 95.8% (230/240), which was much higher than that of Syn (57.1%, 137/240), CgA (38.8%, 93/240) and CD56 (89.2%, 214/240). The sensitivity and accuracy of MAP-2 (99.1%, 95.4%) expression were also higher than those of Syn (58.3%, 42.5%), CgA (39.9%, 42.5%) and CD56 (91.5%, 87.9%). CONCLUSIONS: MAP-2 is a new neuroendocrine marker with higher sensitivity and accuracy, and thus recommended to be added to the immunohistochemical panel for the diagnosis of SCLC.