Proliferation Characteristics of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas Developing in Organ Graft Recipients

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Abstract
• Background and Design.— Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are a frequent complication in organ graft recipients (OGRs). The clinical evolution of these lesions has been a matter of controversy. We studied, by the technique of counting argyrophilic proteins associated with nucleolar organizing regions, the proliferative profile of 11 SCCs developing in six OGRs and compared it with the profile in a group of 18 nonimmunocompromised patients with SCCs. The density of the inflammatory cellular peritumoral infiltrate was also assessed semiquantitatively. Results.— The SCCs in OGRs and controls contained similar numbers of argyrophilic proteins associated with nucleolar organizing regions; however, the density of the inflammatory cellular peritumoral infiltrate was much lower in OGRs than in controls (2.00±0.77 vs 3.17±0.79). Conclusions.— The proliferative potential of SCCs developing in the setting of iatrogenic immunosuppression does not seem to be different from that of SCC in nonimmunocompromised hosts; however, since metastatic SCCs are known to have a reduced density of the inflammatory cellular peritumoral infiltrate as compared with nonmetastatic cases, SCCs in OGRs could have a higher metastatic potential than similar lesions developing in a control population. (Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:324-327)