Alterations in antigenic properties of normal epidermis adjacent to basal cell carcinomas.

The expression of U-CYT antigens, tissue-specific cytoplasmic antigens of keratinocytes that are markers of the terminal differentiation of these cells, was studied in normal skin adjacent to malignant epidermal tumors. Ten basal-cell carcinomas were studied. In all cases, it was found that the expression of U-CYT antigens in normal epidermis gradually decreased with increasing proximity to the tumors and finally disappeared completely within the tumor tissue itself. This finding suggests that basal-cell carcinoma can alter the normal differentiation of adjacent nonmalignant cells.