Sinapsos Podcast | Oncology

E53   |  9 min   |   Latest   |  Publication Link

• Podcast based on: Meyer, T.; Stockfleth, L.; Lang, K.; Käfferlein, H.U.; Brüning, T.; Stockfleth, E. From Molecular Alterations to Risk Prediction: Biomarkers of Actinic Keratosis Progression to Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers 2026, 18, 3221. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18193221
  Type: Review  |  Publication date: 06 October 2026
  
  
• Summary: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precursor to skin cancer that, if left untreated, can develop into non-melanoma skin cancer—specifically, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). However, progression to carcinoma occurs only in a small proportion of cases. To date, it is not possible to predict which specific AK lesion will develop into cSCC. Numerous factors associated with the malignant progression of AK have been described, including patient-specific, clinical, histological, and molecular factors. None of these factors serve as a standalone marker for predicting malignant progression, as the development of invasive cSCC is driven by the dysregulation of multiple, individually variable molecular signaling pathways rather than by alterations in a single signaling cascade. The use of multiple markers as a molecular signature could enable a more accurate assessment of progression risk in the future. This review presents the molecular factors that are primary candidates for this purpose.
  
  
• Keywords: skin cancer; malignant progression; biomarker; proliferation; differentiation; invasion; carcinogenesis

License and disclaimer:
Original article © 2026 by the authors. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This episode is an AI-generated audio adaptation of the article: the script and the voices are synthetic, changes were made, and the adaptation is not endorsed by the authors, the journal, or the publisher. It may contain errors or omissions, so consult the original publication before relying on any detail. It is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The creators accept no liability for any use of this content.