Evaluation of c-Kit (CD117) expression in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin

Mazaher Ramezani; Marziyeh Masnadjam; Ali Azizi; Elisa Zavattaro; Sedigheh Khazaei; Masoud Sadeghi; Mazaher Ramezani; Marziyeh Masnadjam; Ali Azizi; Elisa Zavattaro; Sedigheh Khazaei; Masoud Sadeghi

doi:10.3934/molsci.2021004

AIMS Molecular Science

2021, Volume 8, Issue 1: 51-59. doi: 10.3934/molsci.2021004

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Research article

Evaluation of c-Kit (CD117) expression in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin

1.
Molecular Pathology Research Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
2.
Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
3.
Students research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
4.
Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
5.
Dermatology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont “Amedeo Avogadro”, Novara 28100, Italy
6.
Medical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Received: 11 November 2020 Accepted: 02 February 2021 Published: 08 February 2021

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin are the most common malignant tumors in humans. The c-Kit (CD117) is a tyrosine kinase receptor protein that affects the behavior of some tumors and can be a target for new treatments. This study was designed to determine the expression of CD117 in patients with SCC and BCC. In this retrospective study, 69 paraffin blocks of specimens with a diagnosis of SCC and BCC from limbs, head/neck, trunk, and unknown sites were selected. Tumor tissue samples of 40 SCC and 29 BCC cases were then analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The monoclonal CD117 antibody was used. The severity and extent of tumor staining were grouped as follows: negative; weakly positive; moderately positive; and strongly positive. The CD117 was detected positive in 26 (89.7%) BCCs and only in 5 (12.5%) of SCCs. We detected a significant difference between the expression of CD117 in patients with SCC and BCC (P < 0.05). No significant relationship was shown between the marker expression and the lesion site in patients with SCC or BCC (P > 0.05). On the contrary, a significant relationship between CD117 expression and histopathologic grading was identified in patients with SCC (P < 0.05). According to our results, the expression of CD117 is significantly increased in BCCs than SCCs and this may be of benefit for diagnostic purposes in challenging cases and also for therapeutic purposes including targeted therapy if indicated.
- squamous cell carcinoma,
- basal cell carcinoma,
- immunohistochemistry,
- c-Kit,
- CD117
Citation: Mazaher Ramezani, Marziyeh Masnadjam, Ali Azizi, Elisa Zavattaro, Sedigheh Khazaei, Masoud Sadeghi. Evaluation of c-Kit (CD117) expression in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin[J]. AIMS Molecular Science, 2021, 8(1): 51-59. doi: 10.3934/molsci.2021004

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Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin are the most common malignant tumors in humans. The c-Kit (CD117) is a tyrosine kinase receptor protein that affects the behavior of some tumors and can be a target for new treatments. This study was designed to determine the expression of CD117 in patients with SCC and BCC. In this retrospective study, 69 paraffin blocks of specimens with a diagnosis of SCC and BCC from limbs, head/neck, trunk, and unknown sites were selected. Tumor tissue samples of 40 SCC and 29 BCC cases were then analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The monoclonal CD117 antibody was used. The severity and extent of tumor staining were grouped as follows: negative; weakly positive; moderately positive; and strongly positive. The CD117 was detected positive in 26 (89.7%) BCCs and only in 5 (12.5%) of SCCs. We detected a significant difference between the expression of CD117 in patients with SCC and BCC (P < 0.05). No significant relationship was shown between the marker expression and the lesion site in patients with SCC or BCC (P > 0.05). On the contrary, a significant relationship between CD117 expression and histopathologic grading was identified in patients with SCC (P < 0.05). According to our results, the expression of CD117 is significantly increased in BCCs than SCCs and this may be of benefit for diagnostic purposes in challenging cases and also for therapeutic purposes including targeted therapy if indicated.

Acknowledgments

This article partially fulfills the requirements for the degree of specialty in surgical and clinical pathology by Dr. Marziyeh Masnadjam at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. The financial support of the Research Council of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences is highly acknowledged (Grant Number: 96643). The authors would like to thank the Clinical Research Development Center of Imam Reza Hospital for Consulting Services.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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