Premium
Metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma derived from actinic keratosis
Author(s) -
Dinehart Scott M.,
NelsonAdesokan Paula,
Cockerell Clay,
Russell Shelly,
Brown Robert
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970301)79:5<920::aid-cncr8>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - actinic keratosis , medicine , keratosis , pathology , basal cell , metastasis , skin cancer , dermatology , cancer
BACKGROUND Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with histologically contiguous actinic keratosis has long been thought of as a tumor with minimal risk for metastasis. The objective of this study was to determine if contiguous actinic keratosis is present in the original tumors of metastatic cutaneous SCC and to describe the histologic features of these tumors. METHODS The primary lesions of 22 patients with metastatic cutaneous SCC were examined using light microscopy. RESULTS Contiguous actinic keratosis was present histologically in 44% of the original lesions of cutaneous SCC that metastasized. The average tumor thickness was 6.6 mm. Greater than 66% of the tumors were well or moderately differentiated. The skin adjacent to the tumors showed solar degeneration in almost all instances. CONCLUSIONS The histologic presence of contiguous actinic keratosis is not a useful predictor of the metastatic behavior of cutaneous SCC. Increased tumor thickness and depth of invasion are the most consistent histopathologic features of cutaneous SCC that metastasize. Cancer 1997; 79:920‐3. © 1997 American Cancer Society.