IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BASAL CELL CARCINOMA AT NATIONAL HOSPITAL OF DERMATOLOGY AND VENEREOLOGY, VIETNAM

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the immunohistochemical characteristics of basal cell carcinoma at the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, and prospective study was conducted on 312 patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology from January 2019 to September 2023. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis was performed using four immune markers: BerEP4, Bcl-2, p63, and EMA.

Results: BerEP4 immunostaining was positive in all 312 cases of basal cell carcinoma, representing various histological subtypes. Bcl-2 immunostaining was also positive in all 312 cases of basal cell carcinoma, with notably stronger expression in peripheral tumor cells compared to the central region. P63 immunostaining yielded positive results in 310 cases of basal cell carcinoma, accounting for 99.4% of the cases studied. EMA immunostaining, on the other hand, was negative in 308 cases of basal cell carcinoma, equivalent to 87.2%. The four cases of EMA-positive basal cell carcinoma were all classified as the histopathological subtype of squamous basal cell carcinoma (within the invasive category).

Conclusions: These results suggest that immunohistochemistry with the four immune markers, BerEP4, Bcl-2, p63, and EMA, can be used to support the definitive and differential diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma compared to other cutaneous carcinomas.

Received 15 September 2023
Revised 26 September 2023
Accepted 03 November 2023