An immunohistological study of benign and skin tumours: epithelial aspects

Abstract

Biopsies of normal skin and benign and malignant skin tumors [human] were studied immunohistologically with 9 monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies can clearly delineate antigens expressed in different regions of normal skin, and in general tumors retain the antigenic pattern characteristic of the region from which they have arisen. The potential value of analyzing these patterns of antigenic expression with a panel of monoclonal antibodies both for understanding the pathogenesis of skin tumors (e.g., basal cell carcinomas) and in their differential diagnosis (e.g., squamous cell carcinoma vs. keratoacanthoma) is indicated.