Basal-cell carcinoma: Cytologic and immunocytochemical findings in fine-needle aspirates

Abstract

The smears of fine‐needle aspirates corresponding to 137 histologically proven basal‐cell carcinomas (BCCs) were reviewed. Satisfactory for evaluation were 127 smears; the remaining 10 were unsatisfactory. In 124 cases (97.6%), the cytologic diagnoses coincided with the histologic ones. The remaining 3 were false negatives, and the subsequent histologic correlation demonstrated superficial BCC missed by the needle. The cytologic criteria that permitted a diagnosis of BCC were: variable‐sized and irregular‐shaped cohesive epithelial clusters, round to oval monomorphic nuclei, bland chromatin pattern, and sparse cytoplasm. In 35 cases, a panel of antibodies was used in the smears and in the respective histologic sections. Epithelial clusters of BCC showed an intense and diffuse positivity for AE‐3 and BerEP4, while UEAI and AE‐1 were negative. Although HMB45 and S100‐A tested negative in the epithelial clusters, a faint and sparse focal positivity for HMB45 and S‐100A was seen in some clusters. This positivity is believed to correspond to just a few normal melanocytes and Langerhans cells trapped in the neoplastic epithelial clusters. In the histologic correlates, the same results were obtained, although HMB45 positivity was more conspicuous at the periphery of the neoplastic nests. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1998;18:403–408. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Horrifying Basal Cell Carcinoma: Cytological, Immunohistochemical, and Ultrastructural Findings

“…However, as the CD56-positive cells detected in the biopsy specimen were a minor component, CD56-positive cells were not identified in the cytological specimen. Cytologically, BCC has the following characteristics: (i) variably sized sheets and clusters with peripheral palisading, (ii) round- to oval-shaped nuclei with fine or slightly clumped chromatin, (iii) small nucleoli, (iv) occasional mitotic figures and/or single necrotic cells, (v) scant cytoplasm, (vi) isolated bare nuclei, and (vii) a clear background [12, 13]. In this case, although the presence of peripheral palisading was unclear, the other findings fit these diagnostic criteria.…”

Multi-scale spatial mapping of cell populations across anatomical sites in healthy human skin and basal cell carcinoma

“…We did not find any distinct epithelial cluster characteristic of BCC. However, markers in the hedgehog signalling pathway such as PTCH1/2, HHIP, EPCAM, a diagnostic marker for BCC (42), and IGKC, a immunologic marker of solid cancer (43), were highly ex pressed in BCC basal keratinocytes compared to healthy (SI Appendix, Fig. S8D).…”