Basal Cell Carcinoma: Possible Role of Some Proliferative and Apoptotic Factors

Background. Recurrence of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) following treatment is common and the majorityof recurrences appear in the first 3 years. Aim of the study. To evaluate the poss ible role of CD3 1,Ki-67, EGF-R , PCNA (proliferative factors) , Bcl-2, Bax and p53 (apoptotic factors) expression and their utility in predicting BCe. Patients and Metho ds. We examined the original tumors of 20 BCC cases, 8 of whom had recurrence after an average of 2.7 years and 12 of whom had no recurrence during anaverage of 3.2 years follow up. Using immunohistochemistry, we tested for CD31. Ki-67. EGF-R, PCN Aexpression (as cell cycle promoters) and Bcl-2, p53, Bax expression (as apoptosis markers) in the tumortissue. Results. The percentage of expression for Ki-67 showed highly significant increase in the recurrent tumors than in the non-recurrent ones(X2 =7.83 and P value =0.00 I ).The percentage of expression for CD31.EGF-R showed statistically significant increase in the recurrent tumors than in the non- recurrent ones[CD31 (X2 =4.21 1 and P value=0.047) and EGF-R(X2 =7.62 and P value =0.022)]. Expression of PCNA was positive in all BCC cells with no significant differences. The percentage of expression for Bcl-2 showed highly significant increase in the non- recurrent tumors than recurrent ones (X2 =13.23 and P value =().OO I).The percentage of expression for p53 was positive in all BCC cells with statistically significant increase inthe recurrent tumors than in the non-recurrent ones (X2 =3.112 and P value =0.048). The expression of Bax was negative in 75% of recurrent cases and 58.3% in non- recurrent ones and weak positive in 25% in recurrent cases and 41.7% in non- recurrent ones (X2 =1.59 and P value =0.443). Conclusion. These resultsshow that cell cycle promoters as (Ki-67, CD31, EGF-R and PCNA) and apoptosis markers as (Bcl-2, p53and Bax) expressions differ between BCC which later recur and BCC which do not recur.