Paganelli A, Zaffonato M, Donati B, Torricelli F, Manicardi V, Lai M, Spadafora M, Piana S, Ciarrocchi A, Longo C. Molecular and Histopathological Characterization of Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas: A Case-Control Study.
Cancers (Basel) 2024;
16:2233. [PMID:
38927938 PMCID:
PMC11202054 DOI:
10.3390/cancers16122233]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
A subset of patients affected by cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) can exhibit locally invasive or metastatic tumors. Different staging classification systems are currently in use for cSCC. However, precise patient risk stratification has yet to be reached in clinical practice. The study aims to identify specific histological and molecular parameters characterizing metastatic cSCC.
METHODS
Patients affected by metastatic and non-metastatic cSCC (controls) were included in the present study and matched for clinical and histological characteristics. Skin samples from primary tumors were revised for several histological parameters and also underwent gene expression profiling with a commercially available panel testing 770 different genes.
RESULTS
In total, 48 subjects were enrolled in the study (24 cases, 24 controls); 67 genes were found to be differentially expressed between metastatic and non-metastatic cSCC. Most such genes were involved in immune regulation, skin integrity, angiogenesis, cell migration and proliferation.
CONCLUSION
The combination of histological and molecular profiles of cSCCs allows the identification of features specific to metastatic cSCC, with potential implications for more precise patient risk stratification.
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