P63 Expression in Normal Skin and Common Cutaneous Carcinomas

The study evaluated p63 expression in 16 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), one keratoacanthoma, and 13 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) using immunohistochemistry. Results showed that p63 was consistently expressed in the nuclei of basal and suprabasal epidermal cells, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands, but not in terminally differentiated cells. BCCs exhibited strong p63 immunoreactivity (++ to +++), while keratoacanthomas and SCCs showed variable expression, with undifferentiated grade III SCCs also showing strong positivity. The findings suggested that p63 might play a role in differentiation patterns and oncogenesis of common skin carcinomas.