Expression of Bcl-2 in basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

This study was carried out to evaluate the patterns of bcl-2 expression in basal cell carcinoma [BCC] and squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]. Nineteen paraffin-embedded skin biopsies from filed histopathologic material from the Pathology Laboratory, El-Minia Hospital were collected; 11 biopsies already diagnosed as BCC and 8 biopsies diagnosed as SCC. In addition, 2 specimens from normal skin were used as controls. In addition to routine hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunostaining using monoclonal antibody against bcl-2 protein was performed. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that bcl-2 expression was weak and limited to the basal cell layer of the epidermis and hair follicles in normal skin. Bcl-2 expression was distinct in the cytoplasm of all the BCC, 11/11 in variable degrees. However, SCC did not express bcl-2 in most of specimens. There is a distinctive difference in bcl-2 expression between BCC and SCC. This may reflect a difference regarding the cell of origin or a difference in the regulatory mechanisms of cell turnover between these tumors