Expression of cell proliferation and apoptosis biomarkers in skin spinocellular carcinoma and actinic keratose

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer is the most frequent type of human cancer and has shown an increase in its incidence. In many cases, before the onset of the carcinoma, there might be a precursor lesion - actinic keratosis, which can develop into squamous cell carcinoma. Studies have been carried out in order to determine the parameters that have prognostic significance in predicting those tumors which have more aggressive behavior. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of markers of cell proliferation (PCNA, Ki-67) and apoptosis (p53,Bcl-2) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis. METHOD: We studied samples from 30 patients, ten patients of squamous cell carcinoma, ten with actinic keratosis and ten lesion-free samples from blepharoplasty. RESULTS: p53 protein was expressed in all cases with different quantitative patterns. Bcl-2 was expressed at low intensity in six cases of actinic keratosis in the skin from blepharoplasty and negative in cases of squamous cell carcinoma. PCNA showed intense expression in all samples. Ki-67 showed variable expression in cases of keratosis and carcinoma and negative in the skin from the eyelid. CONCLUSION: The high expression of Ki-67 associated with low expression of Bcl-2 indicates proliferation in the carcinoma group. Thus, expression of p53 and Bcl-2 in patients with actinic keratosis indicates cell immortalization. ©2009 by Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.