Abstract
Molecular genetic approaches to the study of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers have added new insights in the pathogenesis of these tumors. In this review, Twill discuss the following topics; 1) p53 clonal patches in sun-exposed normal skin, a Brash's model of photocarcinogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and molecular epidemiology of SCC, 2) dysregulation of hedgehog signaling pathway in basal cell carcinoma and its role in the tumors arising from nevus sebaceous, 3) molecular genetic changes in malignant appendageal tumors and possible androgen dependence of extramammary Paget's disease, 4) roles of CDKN2A and other genes in the pathogenesis of melanoma and the use of comparative genomic hybridization in the differential diagnosis of melanoma from Spitz nevus. [Skin Cancer (Japan) 2002; 17: 170-176]
