The profile of cytokeratin and sialomucin of 16 adenoses and 30 adenocarcinomas of the prostate was investigated. The histochemical type of sialomucins was studied with Alcian blue pH 1.0 and 2.5. For demonstration of the basal layer of prostatic acinar structures, a mixture of monoclonal antibodies raised against high molecular weight (HMW) cytokeratins 1, 5, 10 and 14 was applied, utilising the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique (ABC). The results of our study showed that sialomucins constitute a characteristic feature of the well differentiated adenocarcinomas (100%). Tumors of moderate and poor differentiation were positive for sialomucins in 58% and 36% respectively. Limited, mostly intraluminar sialomucin was observed in 7 adenoses (43.7%). All foci of adenosis showed discontinuous distribution of HMW cytokeratins, whereas all adenocarcinomas were immunonegative. We conclude that the presence of sialomucins in conjunction with the absence of HMW cytokeratins of basal layer of acinar structures of the prostate favors the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma instead of adenosis.

Key words: Adenosis, immunohistochemistry, Carcinoma of prostate, cytokeratins, sialomucin.

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