Expression of Patched-1 Protein in Aggressive and Nonaggressive Basal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or basalioma, is a skin cancer characterized by slow-growing, minimal local invasion, rarely metastasize, but can result in extensive morbidity through local invasion and tissue destruction if the treatment was delayed. In this genomic era, aggressiveness of BCC mainly affected by intrinsic factor such as molecular biological dysregulation. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between level of PTCH1 protein expression and aggressiveness of BCC histopathology. This study was an observational and cross-sectional study with analytical approach, conducted at Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology Department of Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital Makassar, Hasanuddin University Hospital, Anatomical Pathology Laboratory of Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo and Hasanuddin University Hospital, and Sentra Diagnostic Patologia Laboratory, Makassar from September 2014 to January 2016. Total sample was 37 paraffin block evaluated and classified as aggressive and nonaggressive BCC by histopathological finding. Aggressive type BCCs were 34 samples (91.9%) and nonaggressive type were 3 samples (8.1%). Micronodular type was the most common histopathologic feature in 30 of 37 subjects (81.1%) and 30 of 88 histopathological finding (34.1%). Each subject can have more than one histopathologic type. Percentage of strong expression PTCH1 was found highest in pigmented type (33.4%), the percentage of moderate expression PTCH1 was found highest in infiltrating type (60.0%), and the percentage of negative/weak PTCH1 expression was found highest in the nodular type (75.0%). In this study, the correlation between the aggressiveness and PTCH 1 expression was not significant statistically (p>0.05), but it is seen that the frequency of strong PTCH1 expression was found to be higher in aggressive than nonaggressive BCC.