Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features

Mauro Cives; Francesco Mannavola; Lucia Lospalluti; Maria Chiara Sergi; Gerardo Cazzato; Elisabetta Filoni; Federica Cavallo; Giuseppe Giudice; Luigia Stefania Stucci; Camillo Porta; Marco Tucci

doi:10.3390/ijms21155394

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 29;21(15):5394. doi: 10.3390/ijms21155394.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', 70121 Bari, Italy.
² National Cancer Center, Tumori Institute Giovanni Paolo II, 70121 Bari, Italy.
³ Section of Dermatology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy.
⁴ Section of Pathology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', 70121 Bari, Italy.
⁵ Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', 70121 Bari, Italy.

Abstract

Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) include basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). These neoplasms are highly diverse in their clinical presentation, as well as in their biological evolution. While the deregulation of the Hedgehog pathway is commonly observed in BCC, SCC and MCC are characterized by a strikingly elevated mutational and neoantigen burden. As result of our improved understanding of the biology of non-melanoma skin cancers, innovative treatment options including inhibitors of the Hedgehog pathway and immunotherapeutic agents have been recently investigated against these malignancies, leading to their approval by regulatory authorities. Herein, we review the most relevant biological and clinical features of NMSC, focusing on innovative treatment approaches.

Keywords: Hedgehog pathway; Merkel cell carcinoma; anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies; basal cell carcinoma; immunotherapy; skin cancer; squamous cell carcinoma.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / therapeutic use*
Carcinogenesis / genetics
Carcinogenesis / metabolism
Carcinogenesis / pathology
Carcinoma, Basal Cell / drug therapy
Carcinoma, Basal Cell / genetics*
Carcinoma, Basal Cell / pathology
Carcinoma, Basal Cell / surgery
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / drug therapy
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / genetics*
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / pathology
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / surgery
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / drug therapy
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / genetics*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / surgery
Clinical Trials as Topic
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
Hedgehog Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
Hedgehog Proteins / genetics
Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism
Humans
Immunotherapy / methods
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / antagonists & inhibitors
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / genetics
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / metabolism
Signal Transduction
Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
Skin Neoplasms / genetics*
Skin Neoplasms / pathology
Skin Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

Antibodies, Monoclonal
Antigens, Neoplasm
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
Hedgehog Proteins
PDCD1 protein, human
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Grants and funding

Precision Medicine Project/Regione Puglia