title: The use of immunostaining for bcl-2 and CD34 and the lectin peanut agglutinin in differentiating between basal cell carcinomas and trichoepitheliomas.
abstract: Fifteen unequivocal basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and ten unequivocal trichoepitheliomas (TE) were studied using the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA), and the monoclonal antibodies Q bend 10 and bcl-2 oncoprotein directed against the antigens CD34 and bcl-2, respectively, to see whether these markers could be used to differentiate between the two tumors. Ten percent of TE demonstrated a continuous band-like peritumorous staining with PNA and 80% demonstrated a discontinuous band-like peritumorous staining with PNA, with the comparable figures for BCC being 40% and 20%, respectively. In addition, 40% of BCC showed focal areas of pemphigus-like staining in contrast with only 10% of TE. Using the antibody directed against bcl-2, TE demonstrated weak staining mainly confined to the basal layer of tumor cells in 20% of cases and staining of the cells throughout the tumor in 30% of cases. Similarly, BCC also showed staining of the basal layer of tumor cells in 7% of specimens and staining of cells throughout the tumor mass in 40% of specimens studied. Finally, with the antibody Q bend 10 directed against CD34, staining of the immediate peritumoral spindle-shaped cells was observed in 20% of TE compared with 7% of BCC. Despite reports in the literature, we found that none of these three markers can be reliably used to differentiate between TE and BCC.
authors.affiliation: St. John's Institute of Dermatology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Basarab
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orchard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russell-Jones
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin / Q000032:analysis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2