Identify Cancer Origin Marker - Immunohistochemistry: CDX2

Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays detect the nuclear expression of the transcription factor CDX2 (Caudal Type Homeobox 2). CDX2 is normally expressed in the nuclei of epithelial cells lining the midgut and embryonic cloaca, and persists in the mature epithelial cells of the small intestine, colon, and rectum. In diagnostic pathology, CDX2 is a highly sensitive and specific histological marker for gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC). It is primarily used to confirm the histological diagnosis of CRC and to differentiate it from metastases from other sites, especially in cases of tumors of unknown origin.