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. 1992 Jul;141(1):25–29.

Overexpression of p53 protein in basal cell carcinomas of human skin.

C R Shea 1, N S McNutt 1, M Volkenandt 1, J Lugo 1, P G Prioleau 1, A P Albino 1
PMCID: PMC1886589  PMID: 1632467

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin is the most common human cancer, but its molecular-genetic pathogenesis is unclear. In many other types of cancer, mutations of the tumor-suppressor gene p53 occur frequently and may lead to overexpression of a long-lived mutant form of p53 protein. In this study, overexpression of p53 protein was detected immunohistochemically in 30 (83%) of 36 specimens of BCC of the head and neck. The same regions of tumor typically were reactive both with a monoclonal antibody (PAb240) specific for the mutant protein and with one (PAb1801) directed against an epitope common to both wild-type and mutant p53 protein. Keratinocytes of chronically sun-exposed epidermis adjacent to BCCs also focally overexpressed p53 protein in the majority of cases, whereas those of sun-protected buttock skin did not. Mutation of p53 may form an important part of the pathogenetic sequence in a majority of cases of BCC.

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Selected References

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