Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Digital Study of Immunohistochemical BCL2, P53 and CD138 Expression in Low- and High-Risk Types.

This article focuses on the immunohistochemical expression of BCL2, P53, and CD138 proteins in basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common cancer in Caucasians, comparing low-risk and high-risk histological types as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The study analyzed 121 BCC samples using digital pathology techniques and found that high-risk BCCs exhibited significantly decreased tumoural BCL2 and CD138 expression but increased peritumoural stromal CD138 expression, while P53 expression showed no significant difference between risk categories. These findings suggest that reduced BCL2 and tumoural CD138 expression, alongside increased stromal CD138, may be associated with more aggressive BCC behavior, highlighting potential areas for further research into targeted therapies and prognostic markers. Limitations include a relatively small sample size and lack of molecular correlation with protein expression.