Cytokeratin Profile of Basal Cell Carcinomas According to the Degree of Sun Exposure and to the Anatomical Localization

Abstract: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) seems to originate from ultraviolet light-induced mutations involving the bulge or the outer sheath of the hair follicle cells. However, the etiopathogenic mechanisms involved in the development of these tumors in nonphotoexposed and in hairless areas remain unclear. The cytokeratin (CK) profile (including CK5/6, CK7, CK14, CK15, CK17, and CK19) from a series of different BCC subtypes developing in sun-exposed and non–sun-exposed areas, including hairless regions, was evaluated. The authors have observed that CK7 expression in BCC is associated with the anatomical localization of the tumor and its sun-exposition, but not with other factors such as histological subtype. The expression of this CK is higher in BCCs located in non–sun-exposed and nonhairy areas, such as the vulvar semimucosa and the nipple. Because CK7 is a marker of simple glandular epithelia, the authors suggest a glandular origin for BCCs located in hairless and nonphotoexposed areas. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. Reprints: Ma Reyes García-de-la-Fuente, MD, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Avenida Alcalde Rovira Roure, 80, 25198 Lleida, Spain (e-mail: mrgarcia_dlf@hotmail.com). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Web site (http://ift.tt/2hxkbZ3). Copyright © 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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