Distinct infrared spectroscopic patterns of human basal cell carcinoma of the skin

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 762 - 765
• Main Authors: WONG, P. T. T, GODSTEIN, S. M, GREKIN, R. C, GODWIN, T. A, PIVIK, C, RIGAS, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15.02.1993
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Carbon - chemistry; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - chemistry; Dermatology; Humans; Hydrogen Bonding; Medical sciences; Oxygen - chemistry; Phosphates - chemistry; Skin - chemistry; Skin Neoplasms - chemistry; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Human; Infrared spectrometry; Skin disease; Basal cell carcinoma; Investigation method; Organic phosphate; Exploration; Skin; Malignant tumor; Diagnosis; Tumor cell; High pressure
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445

Infrared spectroscopy combined with high pressure (pressure-tuning infrared spectroscopy) was applied to the study of paired sections of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and normal skin from ten patients. Atmospheric pressure IR spectra from BCC were dramatically different from those from the corresponding normal skin. Compared to their normal controls, BCCs displayed increased hydrogen bonding of the phosphodiester group of nucleic acids, decreased hydrogen bonding of the C--OH groups of proteins, increased intensity of the band at 972 cm-1, a decreased intensity ratio between the CH3 stretching and CH2 stretching bands, and accumulation of unidentified carbohydrates. Some of these changes are shared by all human epithelial malignancies studied to date, while some others appear as yet unique to basal cell carcinoma. The diagnostic value of infrared spectroscopy in BCC remains to be determined.