The chemokine microenvironment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and its precursor lesions

Abstract

Chemokines play a significant role in attracting immune cells to extravasate to areas of peak expression in response to various stimuli. IL-8, MIP-1α and MIP-1β are known to be highly expressed in multiple cancers, as well as benign skin conditions. Their role in cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma has yet to be established. 67 lesions suspicious for keratinocytic malignancy were sampled from 37 patients and tested for chemokine expression via Flow Cytometry. Each lesion was measured for thickness, histopathological grading, and immune cell infiltration score. Expression of the chemokines IL-8 and MIP-1α