Journal Article

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features

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

2020

Overview

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.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Angiogenesis / Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use / Antigens, Neoplasm - genetics / Antigens, Neoplasm - metabolism / Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological - therapeutic use / Cancer therapies / 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 / Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA / Epidemiology / Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Genes / Hedgehog Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors / Hedgehog Proteins - genetics / Hedgehog Proteins - metabolism / Humans / Immunotherapy - methods / Medical prognosis / Melanoma / Monoclonal antibodies / Mutation / Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - antagonists & inhibitors / Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - genetics / Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - metabolism / Prostate / Review / Signal Transduction / Skin cancer / Skin Neoplasms - drug therapy / Skin Neoplasms - genetics / Skin Neoplasms - pathology / Skin Neoplasms - surgery / Stem cells