Qualitative analysis of keratin in oral squamous cell carcinoma using alcian blue–periodic acid schiff, Ayoub-Shklar, and modified papanicolaou as special stains

We observed that the staining intensity was greater in Ayoub-Shklar in WDSCC and in MDSCC followed by modified PAP and AB-PAS-stained sections and the staining specificity was greater in modified PAP in WDSCC and in MDSCC followed by AB-PAS and Ayoub-Shklar in stained sections. We conclude that special stains like AB-PAS, Ayoub-Shklar, and modified PAP stain can prove to be a simple solution to detect the presence and pattern of keratin histologically. The efficacy of distinct identification of keratin pearls and individual cell keratinisation in OSCC-modified PAP stain is better. It can be used as alternative stain to H&E for histological grading of OSCC based on keratinisation.