Acantholytic Cell Research Articles

Clinical, Dermoscopic, and Molecular Features of Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (aSCC) is a rare clinicopathological subtype of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for approximately 4.9% of all SCC cases. However, there are currently no standardized criteria for the diagnosis of aSCC. This systematic review is the first to summarize the clinical and molecular features of aSCC. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Scopus, and PubMed was performed. All articles in English or French were included, with no restriction of publication date. All articles with original data pertaining to clinical or molecular characteristics of aSCC were included. Two reviewers screened articles and resolved conflicts. Our systematic review included 52 studies on the clinical and molecular features of aSCC, including a total of 482 patients (76% male, mean age at diagnosis 68.9 years): 430 cases assessed clinical features, while 149 cases assessed molecular features. The most common location of aSCC was the head and neck (n = 329/430; 76.5%). In terms of morphology, most lesions were described as nodules (n = 93/430, 21.6%), with common surface changes being hyperkeratosis (n = 6), erosion (n = 6), ulceration (n = 5), and crusting (n = 3). With regard to dermoscopy, only six cases were noted in the literature, including findings such as ulceration (n = 3), keratin clots (n = 2), and erosions (n = 2). Thirty-four studies discussed the molecular markers of aSCC, with the most prevalent markers being cytokeratins. CD15 negativity was noted in 23 cases, while common endothelial vascular markers such as CD34 (n = 16), CD31 (n = 15), factor VIII-related antigen (n = 10), and ERG (n = 1) were often not expressed. Finally, expression of intracellular adhesion molecules (i.e., E-cadherin, CD138) was markedly decreased compared to non-acantholytic invasive SCC. This systematic review summarizes the clinical characteristics and molecular features of aSCC. As clinical differentiation can be difficult, clinicopathological correlation with molecular markers may help ensure proper diagnosis.

Comparison of selected cytomorphological features of canine pemphigus foliaceus and superficial pyoderma.

Cytological detection of acantholytic keratinocytes (acantholytic cells [AC]) helps to identify canine pemphigus foliaceus (cPF) yet AC also occurs in superficial pyoderma (SP), the main differential diagnosis. To compare selected cytomorphological features of cPF and SP and to establish cytological diagnostic criteria that could differentiate cPF from SP. 40 and 51 client-owned dogs with PF and SP, respectively. Impression smears from cPF (64), impetigo (40) and exfoliative superficial pyoderma (ESP) (17) samples were stained with Romanowsky stain, randomised, blinded and evaluated by two investigators independently. The entire sample was screened (×500 or ×1000 magnification) for round (AC1), boat (AC2) and raft AC, eosinophils and bacteria. Interobserver agreements were calculated. The average number of the 10 highest ×500 fields for AC1 and AC2 was significantly higher in PF than SP (p < 0.0001; Kruskal-Wallis test). Rafts and eosinophils were more common in PF than SP (p < 0.0001; chi-square test), while bacteria were rare in PF (5%; p < 0.0001; chi-square test). Observations between the experienced and novice investigators were highly correlated. An ROC analysis identified five AC1/×500-magnification field as a suitable cut-off value for predicting PF diagnosis. This cut-off value was tested by two additional investigators, who identified sensitivity of 84%-100%, specificity of 95%-97% and accuracy of 95%-96% for the diagnosis of cPF. Criterion-based impression smear cytological evaluation can provide strong evidence to support the clinical diagnosis. Acantholytic cell morphology varies in cPF and SP, and experience can improve accuracy in cytological differentiation.

Enigma of Acantholytic and Clear Cell Changes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Only limited cases have been reported about the clear cell variant of squamous cell carcinoma occurring in the oral cavity. The present study regards the case showing the histopathological features of both the clear cell and acantholytic variants of oral squamous cell carcinoma. A review of the literature has been done to understand the pathogenesis of those changes. Also, a hypothesis has been given that the clear cell changes could be the consequences of the cascades of the acantholytic process and not a separate entity. Therefore, more research is required to confirm this hypothesis and understand the prognosis of the lesion.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma of larynx: An unusual cause of asphyxial death diagnosed on autopsy

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) is an uncommon histopathological variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This tumor commonly occurs in the sun exposed areas of skin at the head and neck location. The possible occurrence at mucosal sites has seldom been reported. Although, this malignant tumor has an excellent prognosis in the skin, in sharp contrast, mucosal involvement carries a worse prognosis. Here, we explore an intriguing case of an asphyxial death of a 35-year-old man due to a polypoidal mass occluding the airway in the glottic region. Subsequently, based on the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings, the cause of death was diagnosed as ASCC based on histopathological and immunohistochemical findings. Furthermore, this report also highlights the rarity of this variant of SCC at an uncommon location, thus making it the third case ever reported in literature. The other interesting fact about this case is that most of the published reports in the literature have described and diagnosed this rare variant on antemortem examination; contrarily, a postmortem diagnosis of ASCC is exceptional, making it the first report ever in history.

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking Angiosarcoma in the Oral Cavity - A Case Report and Literature Review

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking Angiosarcoma in the Oral Cavity - A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract C107: INTASYL™ self-delivering RNAi therapeutic targeting BRD4 elicits on-target apoptosis of human tumor cells

Abstract Background: A wealth of preclinical data supports the therapeutic potential of targeting bromodomain and extra-terminal motif (BET) protein BRD4 as a promising strategy to treat a spectrum of cancers. However, clinical translation of BRD4 inhibitors (BRD4i) has not yet been achieved. While clinical trials for next generation small molecule BRD4i compounds are ongoing, such systemic approaches must overcome a narrow therapeutic window. Therefore, a local approach to BRD4i represents a potential strategy to realize its therapeutic potential in injectable solid tumor indications. INTASYL™ is a self-delivering RNAi platform technology that enables rapid and efficient delivery into target cells without need for specialized drug delivery systems or formulations. INTASYL compounds provide precise and durable gene silencing. In preclinical studies, INTASYL compounds provided a robust direct, abscopal and/or anti-metastatic antitumor efficacy when administered intratumorally (IT) as monotherapy, multi-targeting formulations, or in combination with current standard of care treatments. PH-894 is an INTASYL compound designed to specifically silence human BRD4 mRNA. We assessed the direct on-target antitumor effects of PH-894 across a spectrum of human tumor cell lines: HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), HCC1806 (acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma), A549 (lung adenocarcinoma), U-251 MG (malignant glioblastoma), SK-MEL-5 (melanoma), HT-29 (colorectal adenocarcinoma), SK-OV-3 (ovarian adenocarcinoma), HeLa (cervical adenocarcinoma). Methods: Tumor cells were cell-cycle synchronized by serum starvation for ~18 h and treated in the presence of serum with increasing concentrations of PH-894 or a non-targeting control (NTC) INTASYL for 24 h. Apoptosis was assessed by annexin-v and 7-aminoactinomycin D (7AAD) staining/flow cytometry. On-target silencing of BRD4 mRNA by PH-894 was confirmed at 24 h by qPCR. Results: PH-894 elicited on-target apoptosis in all tumor cell lines tested in a concentration correlated manner, with variable levels of response across the various tumor cell lines. BRD4 mRNA was specifically silenced on-target in a concentration correlated manner with PH-894. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the direct cytotoxic effects of INTASYL PH-894 mediated by sequence specific silencing of BRD4 mRNA across tumor cell lines representing a broad spectrum of injectable solid tumors. Local therapy with IT PH-894 represents a potential strategy to mitigate toxicities associated with systemic BETi or BRD4i. This study supports further development of PH-894 toward unlocking the therapeutic potential of BRD4i. Citation Format: Andrew Boone, Dingxue Yan, Melissa Maxwell, Brianna Rivest, James Cardia, Benjamin Cuiffo. INTASYL™ self-delivering RNAi therapeutic targeting BRD4 elicits on-target apoptosis of human tumor cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2023 Oct 11-15; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C107.

Histopathological characterisation of trunk-dominant canine pemphigus foliaceus, and comparison with classic facial and insecticide-triggered forms.

While the clinical features were described recently, the histopathological characterisation of trunk-dominant canine pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is lacking, and whether it differs from classic facial or insecticide-triggered PF is unknown. This study describes the histopathological findings of trunk-dominant PF, and compares the results to classic facial and insecticide-triggered PF. Skin biopsies from 103 dogs with clinically characterised trunk-dominant (n = 33), classic facial (n = 26) and insecticide-triggered PF (n = 44) were included. Histological sections, randomised and blinded, were scored for over 50 morphological parameters of pustules, epidermis, dermis, adnexa and crusts. Intact pustule area and width were measured by digital microscopy. In trunk-dominant PF, 77 intact pustules were predominantly subcorneal (0.0019-1.940 mm2 area, 0.0470-4.2532 mm wide), and contained from one to over 100 acantholytic keratinocytes. Pustules had boat acantholytic cells, corneocytes, perinuclear eosinophilic rings, neutrophil rosettes, acantholytic cell necrosis, rafts, cling-ons and/or eosinophils. Peripustular epidermal spongiosis, necrosis and lymphocyte exocytosis occurred, as did follicular pustules. Mixed dermal inflammation often contained eosinophils. Trunk-dominant PF did not differ from the other PF groups except for few parameters, such as having fewer rafts (p = 0.003). Additional autoimmune inflammatory patterns occurred in all PF groups. Trunk-dominant PF and other canine PF variants are histologically similar, which indicates shared pathomechanisms. The identification of common boat acantholytic cells and corneocyte separation has implications for the mechanisms of acantholysis. The diversity of histopathological and polyautoimmunity features support complicated immune mechanisms. Finally, results indicate that diagnostic biopsies cannot differentiate between these PF variants in dogs.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma of the gingiva: a case report

棘层松解性鳞状细胞癌（acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma，ASCC）是鳞状细胞癌的一种少见组织学亚型，具有独特的形态学特点，易被误诊为腺癌、腺瘤、血管肉瘤等。国内外关于口腔ASCC的研究报道较少，本文报道1例老年男性牙龈ASCC，并分析其病因、诊断、鉴别诊断、治疗以及预后，以期为ASCC的临床诊疗提供参考。.

Pathologic findings of acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma coexisting with cutaneous cryptococcosis in a Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata)

A 2-year-old Asian Houbara bustard was presented with a solitary well-defined, firm cutaneous mass on the hock region. Grossly, the mass protruded from the surface was located on the hairless and unpigmented areas of the right hock joint with ulceration and dried hemorrhagic foci. On microscopic examination, ulceration, hemorrhage, as well as hyperkeratosis were observed. Large round, oval to polygonal neoplastic cells extended into the dermis were arranged to form cords, trabeculae, islands or glandular-like structures without keratin pearls. These pseudoglandular structures were composed of pseudolumina containing acantholytic and detached tumor cells. Necrosis of the neoplastic cells was accompanied by infiltration of inflammatory cells particularly heterophils. Unlike pleomorphic tumor cells, mitosis count was almost frequent. No evidence of other abnormalities and tumor metastasis was found. These gross and microscopic features appeared to be suggestive of a rare histologic variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), acantholytic SCC.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix: A case series

Squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is considered the most common histologic variant of cervical cancer, with well-established treatment protocols and prognosis. An infrequent histologic variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma is the acantholytic variant (ASCC), which is characterized by discohesive cells that result in a pseudoglandular and/or angiomatoid pattern of growth. This variant of squamous cell carcinoma has been regarded as having a poor prognosis at certain anatomic sites such as the head and neck and vulva. In the uterine cervix, the importance of this variant has not been yet established. A ten-year retrospective review of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix was performed to identify this variant and correlate it with clinical characteristics to better define its prognostic implications. During the study period 19 cases were identified containing from 10 to 80% acantholytic component. Mean age at diagnosis was 49 years. Clinical stages were 1A2 (1 case), Ib1 (16), and IIA1 (2). Median follow-up was 92 months. When compared with controls, ASCC were larger in size (1.4 vs 3.5 cm), had deeper involvement of the cervical stroma (21 vs 47%), had more lymph node metastasis (8 vs 26%), more frequent recurrences (4 vs 15%) and a shorter disease-free survival; however, no statistical differences were identified in overall survival. ASCC is an infrequent variant of cervical cancer which seems to have an impact on disease-free survival but no in overall survival.

Clinical and histopathological evaluation of 50 acantholytic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas: Analysis outcome in a retrospective case-control study.

Acantholytic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (aCSCCs) have been classically considered as a high-risk variant of CSCC. However, more recent studies show that aCSCC does not confer more aggressiveness. This study aims to establish whether the prognosis of the aCSCC is worse than that of the non-acantholytic (naCSCC) or not. Retrospective case-control study with 50 aCSCCs and 50 naCSCCs. For each aCSCC, an naCSCC with similar high-risk features to the aCSCC but with no acantholysis was selected. Prognosis between both groups was compared. The mean age was 86 years (SD 9.61). Sixty-one patients were men. Thirty-nine CSCCs were located in high-risk head and neck areas. Twenty CSCCs exhibited a poor degree of differentiation, and 36 showed an infiltrative growth pattern. The tumor diameter was 18.71 mm (interquartile range, IQR 35), and the tumor thickness was 6.72 mm (IQR 15.50). Twelve CSCCs exhibited perineural infiltration, and eight CSCCs exhibited invasion beyond the subcutaneous fat. Positive margins after excision of the tumor in 22 aCSCCs vs eight naCSCCs (P < 0.02). Nineteen poor-prognosis events were observed (local recurrence, lymph node metastasis, and death from CSCC). However, no differences were observed between both groups when comparing poor-prognosis events. The proportion of unfavorable events is similar in aCSCC and naCSCC. The acantholytic histopathological subtype is not associated with a poorer prognosis than the non-acantholytic CSCC in our cohort.

Intra-oral Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma: 55 Cases. Is this Variant more Aggressive?

We aimed to collect and analyze available cases of intraoral acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (aSCC), that consisted of the authors' cases and cases derived from the existing literature, with an emphasis on the pathological staging and patient outcome. Our research question was whether aSCC is more aggressive than conventional SCC. The literature was searched for documented cases of aSCC involving the intra-oral mucosa, excluding those from the lips and tonsils, and seven new cases were added from our files. The authors compared the obtained aSCC data to existing data for conventional SCC. Fisher Exact or Pearson's χ2 tests were used for categorical variables. Fifty-five cases of intraoral aSCC were reviewed, of which 48 were retrieved from the literature. Analysis of the published cases was reinforced by contacting the authors of all the papers with incomplete data for further clarifications. The most common sites of aSCC were the tongue (24/55) and the maxilla/maxillary gingiva and/or palate (11/55). The overall survival rate was 36/53 (67.9%) with a mean follow-up period of 22months against 62.5% for conventional SCC (p = 0.6). No statistically significant difference between the two variants of the tumor with respect to the oral cavity was detected. The differences in age, sex, survival rate, staging, and locations were not statistically significant. Based on the available data from 55 cases, there is no evidence to suggest that aSCC is more aggressive than conventional SCC in intraoral cases.

Expression of Heat Shock Protein 105 in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Correlation with Clinicopathological Characteristics.

BackgroundHeat shock proteins (HSPs), a group of heat stress proteins, are characterized by highly conserved properties. Malignant transformation is a cellular stress, and the expression of HSPs may be affected during this process. Heat shock protein 105 (HSP105) is a protective protein that has long been observed in many cancer types, but little attention has been given to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). As such, the objectives of this study were to observe the expression of HSP105 on CSCC and evaluate its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics.MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled 60 patients with CSCC. The patients’ clinical data, including sex, age, tumor location, tumor type, and degree of pathological differentiation, were collected. The expression of HSP105 was measured by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining.ResultsHSP105 expression was decreased in CSCC (HSCORE=0.65 (0.30, 1.98)) compared with normal skin (HSCORE=2.20 (1.50, 2.80)) (P<0.001). These results were consistent with the Western blot analysis. HSP105 immunostaining of Bowen disease (HSCORE=1.28 (1.08, 2.40)) revealed higher expression than in verrucous carcinoma (HSCORE=0.30 (0.23, 0.85)), keratoacanthoma (HSCORE=0.53 (0.29, 0.93)) and acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (HSCORE=0.53 (0.41, 0.68) (P<0.01)). Poorly differentiated CSCC showed significantly higher expression of HSP105.ConclusionOur study reveals for the first time that the expression of HSP105 is decreased in CSCC. We suggest that the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential expression of HSP deserve a more rigorous future study, the results of which might explain its role in carcinogenesis and its potential as a target for selective tumor therapy.

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma: Pathological study of three cases in Ecuador

&lt;p&gt;Adenoid squamous cell carcinoma is an uncommon histopathological variant of squamous cell carcinoma characterized by acantholysis of tumor cells creating pseudolumina and the appearance of glandular differentiation. It is also known as pseudoglandular, pseudoangiosarcomatous, adenoid, epithelioma dyskeratoticum, or adenoacanthoma. In this article, we describe and analyze three cases of acantholytic cell carcinoma. The purpose is to verify if the data of our cases can be validated with scientific information. All our cases presented lesions in the face, and in one of them the developed tumor on the skin showed actinic keratosis. The other two tumors were located in the right side of the face, and both were big: the bigger tumor was approximately 8 × 4 cm and the other one with a size of 6 × 2.5 cm. Due to the size and location, they were both send to the oncologist for treatment. One of our cases showed metatypical carcinomas accompanied by acantholytic variant of squamous cell carcinoma. None of our cases presented metastasis. The histopathological finding were keratinized squamous tumor cell type, adenoid structures with round spaces with a defined wall of at least one-cell width, and spaces with isolated or group of dyskeratotic cells.&lt;/p&gt;

ACANTHOLYTIC SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA MIMICKING PERIAPICAL LESION: AN UNUSUAL CASE

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (aSCC) is a rare and distinctive histologic subtype of squamous cell carcinoma characterized by acantholysis in the cancer nests leading to a pseudoglandular appearance. We describe the case of a 28-year-old female patient with symptomatic swelling in left maxilla. Radiographically, a poorly defined, multilocular, radiolucent lesion was found in the periapical region of teeth 24 and 25. Clinical diagnosis was periapical cyst, and the patient was submitted to incisional biopsy. Histologic feature of the incisional biopsy led to the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified. The patient was referred to the public oncology center, tumor resection was performed, and the diagnosis of aSCC was established after analysis of the surgical specimen. Because of the high-grade features, poor differentiation, and tumor invasion pattern, the patient died after approximately 3 months from initial diagnosis; aSCC is recognized for its aggressive nature and poor prognosis, especially when it occurs in the oral cavity.

ACANTHOLYTIC SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ORAL CAVITY

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (AcSCC) is a rare variant of poorly differentiated oral SCC of aggressive behavior that contains marked acantholysis, resulting in an adenoid appearance. A 58-year-old man presented an extensive painful and necrotic mass affecting the lower lip mucosa and skin, which appeared ulcerated and hardened for the last 5 months. The patient's cervical lymph nodes were palpable, and previous heavy tobacco use was reported. Intraoral examination showed an 8 × 6 cm ulcerated mass affecting lower anterior alveolar ridge with extension to the floor of the mouth and anterior mandible, which was completely destroyed in the image of panoramic radiograph. An incisional biopsy was performed, and microscopically, infiltrative malignant nests containing many acantholytic and dyskeratotic squamous cells were observed. The final diagnosis was of AcSCC, and the patient was referred for treatment. Oral AcSCC may appear as an exuberant infiltrative mass causing extensive bone destruction.

Oral variant of acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma—Histochemical and immunohistochemical features

Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) is an uncommon variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It is characterized by a combination of typical SCC and pseudoglandular structures, dyskeratotic cells and prominent acantholysis.The purpose of this study was to analyze the histochemical and immunohistochemical characteristics of the intraoral variant of ASCC. Cases of intraoral ASCC were retrieved from the English language literature. Four new cases from our files were added.In total, 35 cases were included and analyzed in this study. The mean age of the patients was 61.5 + 13 years (age range 38–92 years), with a male-to-female ratio of 1.7:1. According to the available data, histochemical and immunohistochemical stains for mucins were found to be consistently negative. E- cadherin, a marker of adherens junctions, was usually reported to be expressed in areas of “typical” (non acantholytic) SCC, but reduced in the acantholytic areas. We examined for the first time the expression of claudin 1, a marker of tight junctions, and found it to be reduced in the acantholytic areas, similar to E-cadherin. Several cases of oral ASCC also expressed vimentin and cytokeratin (CK) 19, markers associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. A wide range of non-epithelial markers yielded negative immunoreactions.In conclusion, ASCC is an uncommon variant of squamous cell carcinoma. The acantholytic process appears to involve reduced expression of molecular components of both adherens junctions and tight junctions. These findings could suggest a relation to the epithelial mesenchymal transition process and therefore further studies are needed in order to establish such a link and the subsequent possible impact on the clinical outcome of the patients.

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Uncommon Sites

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Uncommon Sites

A rare case of acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

A rare case of acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Hard and Soft Palate: A Case Report

Acantholytic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Hard and Soft Palate: A Case Report