OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of stat3 phosphorylation and p53 expression on human epidermal non-melanoma cutaneous tumours.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry technique was employed to measure the expression of p-stat3 and p53 protein in skin tissue from 30 cases of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 20 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 20 cases of seborrhoeic keratosis (SK) and 20 normal subjects.

RESULT(1) p-stat3 protein was abnormally increased in SCC and BCC as compared with normal skin and SK. Expression of p-stat3 in SCC was also significantly higher than that in BCC. (2) Expression of p-stat3 was higher in poorly-differentiated cancers than that in well-differentiated cancers in SCC. The positive rate of p-stat3 expression was correlated with the depth of tumor invasion, but not with tumor size. (3) There was no p53 protein expression on normal skin and SK, it was significantly upregulated in SCC and BCC. In SCC, the intensity of p53 expression was associated with tumor differentiation. There was no correlation between the positive rate of p53 expression and the depth of tumor invasion, whereas the positive rate of p53 expression was correlated with the sun-exposure area. (4) There existed positive correlation between the expression intensity of p-stat3 and p53 in SCC (r=0.641, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION(1) The overexpression of p-stat3 may play an important role in the development of epidermal tumors. (2) The abnormal activation of stat3 may be related to metastatic potentials in SCC. (3) Both p53 gene and stat3 may contribute to the pathogenesis of skin SCC.

Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; chemistry ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; chemistry ; pathology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; Skin ; chemistry ; Skin Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cluster of differentiation 44 variant 6 (CD(44V6)) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in ocular squamous cell carcinomas.

METHODSStreptavidin-biotin complex (SABC) immunohistochemistry was used to explore the expression of CD(44V6) and PCNA in 35 cases of ocular squamous cell carcinomas, 20 cases of papillomas, and 11 cases of normal eyelid tissue.

RESULTSThe CD(44V6) positive rate was 62.9% (22/35) in ocular squamous cell carcinomas, 15.0% (3/20) in papillomas, but not detectable in the 11 cases of normal eyelid tissue. The positive expression rates of CD(44V6) in ocular squamous cell carcinomas were significantly higher than in benign tumors (chi(2) = 11.57, P < 0.01) or control tissue (P = 0.001), and the positive expression rates of CD(44V6) in metastasis were significantly higher than without metastasis (P = 0.049). PCNA labeling indexes (PI) in tumors with CD(44V6) expression were significantly higher than those without (t = 20.21, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOverexpression of CD(44V6) is correlated with the progress and metastasis of ocular squamous cell carcinomas. CD(44V6) protein positive staining is associated with high PI. CD(44V6) and PCNA are useful for evaluating prognosis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; chemistry ; pathology ; Eye Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; Skin ; chemistry

p53 gene mutations have been known to be highly related to the particular stage of transformation in various types of human cancers. This study was conducted to investigate the p53 mutations at the protein level by an immunohistochemical method using anti-p53 antibody, NCL-p53-DO-7. Twenty-five cancer specimens were obtained surgically from patients with squamous cell cancer of the skin at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital. The cancers were classified according to the possible etiology into two groups, burn scar originated and UV-related cancers. Overexpression of p53 protein was detected in ten (40%) out of 25 cases tested: six (40%) of 15 cases associated with burn scar and four (40%) of ten cases related to UV exposure. In all normal skin cells in specimens, p53 protein was not stained at all. The stages and histological grades were evaluated for their relationship with the overexpression of p53 protein. No significant difference was found between the overexpression of p53 protein and the stages or histological grades. These results demonstrating that 40% of skin cancers were positive for p53 overexpression suggest that the alterations of the p53 gene may play a role and the exact role of p53 gene in the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin will be studied.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*chemistry ; Female ; Genes, p53 ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Mutation ; Protein p53/*analysis ; Skin Neoplasms/*chemistr

OBJECTIVETo discuss the value of P53mt and BCL-2 proteins in screening skin carcinoma due to arseniasis.

METHODSP53mt and BCL-2 proteins were detected by immunohistochemical staining. chi(2) test was used to analyze the difference of positive rate between two groups. Screening value of the two biomarkers was also evaluated through the analysis of relative indexes.

RESULTSPositive percentages of P53mt and BCL-2 in carcinoma group were 88.89% and 94.44% respectively, both were higher than those of 36.0% and 66.0% in non-carcinoma group (for P53mt, P < 0.01; for BCL-2, P < 0.05). ORs of P53mt and BCL-2 were 14.22 (2.93 - 68.97) and 8.76 (1.07 - 71.51), respectively. Youden's Index and specificity of P53mt were 0.529 and 64.0%, which were much higher than those of BCL-2. Serial tests improved the value of screening with Youden's Index 0.569, but parallel test lowered it to 0.244.

CONCLUSIONSP53mt and BCL-2 were practical biomarkers to screen skin carcinoma due to arseniasis, and the former was better than the latter. The value of screening can be improved by a series of tests.

Arsenic Poisoning ; complications ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mass Screening ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Skin ; chemistry ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; etiology ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

The expression of p53 in a variety of benign and malignant skin lesions has been first assessed in frozen sections and then compared with the results obtained in corresponding paraffin-embedded sections using various immunohistochemical staining methods with a panel of anti-p53 antibodies. Of the 48 benign and malignant skin lesions studied, 46(96%) had corresponding paraffin sections and immunohistochemical results obtained with DO7 on frozen and paraffin sections were concordant in 97%, qualitatively. Using streptavidin-biotin complex method, p53 was identified in 33% of dysplastic squamous lesions, 50% of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 36% of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) on frozen section, whereas 25% of dysplastic squamous lesions, 40% of SCCs, and 32% of BCCs showed p53 positivity on paraffin-embedded sections. In frozen sections, the same regions of each specimen exhibited similar topographic patterns of positive immunoreactivity with both monoclonal antibodies, PAb 1801 and DO7. In contrast, immunohistochemical staining with polyclonal antibody, CM-1, gave poor morphologic resolution, although effective in paraffin-embedded sections.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/chemistry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Skin Neoplasms/*chemistry ; Staining and Labeling ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/*analysis/immunology

BACKGROUNDHemangiomas are the most common tumors in children. Some hemangiomas may require intervention because of their location, size, behavior, or potential for important complications. Pharmacological therapy with glucocorticoids is the mainstay treatment, but there is no consensus on therapeutic regimens or candidate selection, therapeutic efficacy varies, and the mechanism mediating the beneficial effects of glucocorticoids remains unclear. This study was performed to investigate the expression patterns of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and its alpha isoform (GRalpha) in cutaneous hemangiomas and vascular malformations.

METHODSSP immunohistochemical technique was used to examine the expression of GR(e-20) (GR) and GR(p-20) (GRalpha) on vascular endothelial cells in 80 specimens that included 33 proliferating hemangiomas, 32 involuting hemangiomas, 7 vascular malformations as well as 8 normal skin tissues, all obtained from infants and children. GR and GRalpha expression in prepared tissue slides were examined using automated computer-assisted microscopic analysis. Mean gray scale values were compared among the various tumor types.

RESULTSThe mean gray scale values of GR were 127.0 +/- 6.4 and 121.4 +/- 6.6 in hemangiomas and vascular malformations respectively, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.104). However, these values were all markedly higher than that of normal skin, which was only 108.6 +/- 6.8 (P = 0.001 and P = 0.000 for comparison with hemangiomas and vascular malformations respectively). The gray scale of GR in proliferation and involuting hemangiomas were 127.9 +/- 4.8 and 126.0 +/- 5.8 respectively, but this difference was not significant (P = 0.146). However, GRalpha expression in hemangiomas, vascular malformations and normal skin declined gradually in stepwise fashion (127.3 +/- 5.4, 120.4 +/- 6.1 and 109.9 +/- 5.3 respectively; P < 0.001). GRalpha expression was higher in proliferating hemangiomas than in involuting hemangiomas (127.2 +/- 6.3 and 122.5 +/- 6.3; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONSGR and GRalpha are strongly expressed in hemangiomas and vascular malformations. The expression of GRalpha is closely related to the phase of the hemangioma. Determination of GR and GRalpha may be a positive significance to understand the information of hemangiomas and vascular malformations and may further help determining proper strategies of steroid therapy for hemangiomas and vascular malformations.

Blood Vessels ; abnormalities ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemangioma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Protein Isoforms ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; analysis ; Skin Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology

Cutaneous metastases originating from an internal cancer are relatively uncommon in clinical practice, and metastatic lesions to the breast are rarer than those to the skin. Skin metastases of lung cancer, which may be the first sign of the disease, usually indicate progressive disease and a poor prognosis. We describe a 47-year-old male who presented with recurring masses in the lumbar region bilaterally and the right breast. Immunohistochemical findings and radiological imaging suggested lung cancer. This is the first reported case of small cell lung cancer metastasizing to two separate, uncommon sites, the skin and breast.
Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms, Male/chemistry/*secondary/therapy ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms/chemistry/*pathology/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Neoplasms/chemistry/*secondary/therapy ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/chemistry/*secondary/therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Markers, Biological/analysis

No abstract available.
Base Sequence ; Child, Preschool ; DNA/chemistry/metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation ; Nevus, Pigmented/diagnosis/*genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/*genetics ; Republic of Korea ; Skin/pathology ; Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis/*genetics ; Syndrome

Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; B7-2 Antigen ; analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histiocytic Disorders, Malignant ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Sarcoma ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; pathology

Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; genetics ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; genetics ; Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Skin Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; ras Proteins ; metabolism