title: Maspin expression in epithelial skin tumours: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maspin is a member of the serpin family of protease inhibitors and is thought to inhibit carcinoma invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and induce apoptosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work is to investigate maspin expression in cutaneous basal and squamous cell carcinomas by means of immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 43 patients, 25 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 18 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) together with ten apparently healthy volunteers as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference between the malignant and control groups regarding maspin expression since all control cases showed maspin expression compared to 60.5% (26/43) positivity in malignant cases. Maspin positive expression tended to be of higher percentage in SCC (77.8%) compared to BCC (48%) (P = 0.06) and the strong intensity of maspin was also significantly in favour of SCC compared to BCC (P = 0.02). The staining of both the cytoplasm and nuclei was seen in 27.7% of SCC and 12% of BCC and was significantly in favour of older age group (P = 0.02) and the adenoid variant (P = 0.04) of the latter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maspin is associated with terminal squamous differentiation. Nuclear staining of maspin is seen in both BCC and SCC with a suggested tumour suppressor role in BCC.
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menofiya University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors: Asmaa Gaber
authors: AG
authors: Abdou
authors: Alaa Hassan
authors: AH
authors: Maraee
authors: Mohamed Abd
authors: MA
authors: El-Monaem Shoeib
authors: Amany Mohamed
authors: AM
authors: Abo Saida