Abstract
Purpose:
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent cancer of the ocular adnexae. Semimalignant, it can be subdivided into a solid type and a more aggressive and invasive fibrosing type. In this study, different molecules related to infiltrative growth were investigated to further help our understanding of these different growth patterns.
Methods:
20 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens of basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid were investigated and subdivided into two groups. Group I consisted of 10 solid BCC, group II of 10 fibrosing BCC (mean age 71 versus 75,1 yrs). There were 4 male and 6 female patients in both groups. Immunohistochemistry was performed for matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, 2 and 9 (Santa Cruz), Ki67 (Dako), p53 (Dako) and FHOD1 (Novusbio). Immunoreactivity was evaluated by light microscopy and graded semiquantitatively by two readers using a score from 0 to 3. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 20; Armonk, NY). The probability for the alpha error was set to p < 0.05.<br />
Results:
As could be expected, MMP 1, 2 and 9 were present in a membrane-bound fashion, whereas Ki67 and p53 were located in the nucleus. MMP1, MMP2 and p53 showed a stronger expression in fibrosing BCC compared to solid BCC. This was only statistically significant for MMP1 (p=0,024) with a mean staining reaction of 0,95 for solid BCC and 1,7 for fibrosing BCC. For MMP2 (p=0,105) and p53 (p=0,233), there was only a trend for a more intense staining in fibrosing BCC (MMP2: 2,45; p53: 1,9) compared to solid BCC ( MMP2: 2,05; p53:1,4). MMP9 and FHOD1 did not as yet yield reliable results. Regarding Ki67, there was no significant difference between both groups.<br />
Conclusions:
Molecules associated with infiltrative growth such as MMP1 showed a higher staining intensity in fibrosing BCC and may explain - among other factors - their invasive behaviour. Adressing those as therapeutic target might perhaps help in developing new adjuvant treatment options. To confirm our observations, studies with a larger number of basal cell carcinomas are warranted and may also address this topic on a genetic level.<br />