Cytokeratin 17 immunoexpression in actinic keratosis (bowenoid and nonbowenoid) and in Bowen disease

Cytokeratin (CK) 17 immunoexpression has been investigated in nonmelanoma skin cancer as well as in many preinvasive epithelial malignancies. However, there is not any previous study of CK17 immunoexpression in actinic keratosis (AK) or Bowen disease in nonimmunocompromised patients. We evaluated CK17 immunoexpression in 20 cases of AK (10 nonbowenoid and 10 bowenoid) as well as in 10 cases of Bowen disease. We identified expression of CK17 in the superficial layers above the atypical foci. In some cases, there were foci of expression by the full thickness of the epidermis, which was the predominant pattern in very few cases (1 Bowen disease and 1 bowenoid AK). In addition, 1 case of bowenoid AK showed CK17 expression in a “skyline” pattern in the basal layer of the epidermis. Cytokeratin 17 immunostaining did not allow us to distinguish between the 3 entities studied. However, the immunostaining allowed us to distinguish atypical foci in the biopsies, even if atypicality was minimal. In addition, CK17 was useful in identifying surgical borders involved by disease in cases in which the hematoxylin-eosin was difficult to evaluate. Cytokeratin 17 immunoexpression might have a role in evaluating surgical borders in some cases of AK and Bowen disease.