p53 protein in aggressive and non‐aggressive basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent cutaneous neoplasm, with a generally favorable clinical behavior. Sometimes, indeed, it recurs after therapy and/or metastasizes. As point mutations in the coding sequence of the p53 tumor suppressor gene have been implicated in the progression of many human tumors, we studied the expression of p53 protein on this neoplasia. We tested immunohistochemically the positivity for p53 protein (NCL-p53-CM1, YLEM) on 19 cases of morphologically "non aggressive" BCC (BCC1) and on 19 "aggressive" BCC (BCC2), all with one or more relapses and 3 with distant metastases also. Results were related to clinico-pathological and follow-up data. All but one BCC2 were found positive for p53 protein. Conversely, only 2 cases of BCC1 exhibited low immunoreactivity for p53 protein, with high statistical differences between the two groups. No correlation was found between the immunoreactivity, age of patients, and site of the lesions. The availability of immunohistochemistry and the relatively easy interpretation of the results make screening for p53 protein a possibly useful tool in the prognostic evaluation of BCC.

Expression of p53 in Arsenic-Related and Sporadic Basal Cell Carcinoma

“…This is consistent with the report of Barrett et al, 12 who found that p53 expression was highest in the aggressive subtypes and correlated with the expression of PCNA, a marker of proliferation. Similarly, overexpression of p53 was found by De Rosa et al 26 to be correlated with a more aggressive clinicopathological behavior of BCCs.…”

Basal cell carcinoma: biology, morphology and clinical implications

“…78,85,86 Mutations of p53 have been documented in up to 40% of studied BCCs; 77 72% of the mutations bear the signature of UV light induction. The aggressive growth variants of sporadic BCC are associated with stromal fibroplasia and overexpression of what is likely mutant p53.…”

The expression of p53 and cox-2 in basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis cases

“…in aK patients, p53 expression extensity and CoX-2 expression intensity increased with patient age (p=0.006, p=0.004). in aK cases there was also a weak correlation between tumor size and in BCC cases (17,18). However, Healy et al did not find a significant difference between the two groups (19).…”