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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
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Published on: June 2, 2022
Metastatic basal cell carcinoma exhibits reduced actin expression
Maria C Uzquiano1, Victor G Prieto, Jason W Nash
1Department of Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Summary
Increased actin expression correlates with aggressive basal cell carcinoma invasiveness but is lost in metastatic forms. Previous radiotherapy may increase metastatic risk.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in Caucasian individuals.
- Metastatic BCC is rare (0.03%), with unknown cytoskeletal protein expression in metastatic lesions.
- Actin has been found in aggressive BCC, but its role in metastasis is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare actin and related cytoskeletal protein expression in nodular, infiltrative, and metastatic BCC.
- To investigate the potential role of radiotherapy in the development of metastatic BCC.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze alpha-smooth muscle actin, calponin, myosin, and E-cadherin expression.
- 12 nodular, 10 infiltrative, and 10 metastatic BCC cases were studied.
- Expression was considered positive if ≥5% of tumor cells showed weak expression.
Main Results:
- Actin expression was higher in infiltrative BCC (100%) compared to nodular (25%) and metastatic (30%) BCC.
- E-cadherin expression was significantly higher in metastatic BCC (100%) than in nodular BCC (75%).
- Five metastatic BCC patients had a history of radiotherapy; myosin was undetectable; calponin showed no significant difference.
Conclusions:
- Increased actin expression may drive local invasiveness in BCC but is diminished in the metastatic phenotype.
- Loss of actin and increased E-cadherin may be characteristic of the metastatic BCC phenotype.
- Previous radiotherapy might be a contributing factor to the development of metastatic BCC.
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