Abstract

TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method was performed on 21 excisional skin samples from 15 patients with solid basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 2 patients with adenoid BCC, 2 patients with superficial BCC, one patient with solid BCC with a pilar differentiation and one patients with trichoepithlioma. Apoptosis was detected around a pseudocyst of solid BCC with cystic degeneration. Clusters of apoptosis were detected on a central portion of nodules of solid BCC and superficial BCC. However, clustera of apoptosis were not detected around cystic lesions of adenoid BCC, BCC with pilar degeneration and trichoepithelioma.