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Review
. 2025 Jan 24:16:1518633.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1518633. eCollection 2025.

From actinic keratosis to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: the key pathogenesis and treatments

Zhenlin Li  1   2   3   4 , Fangqi Lu  1   2   3   4 , Fujin Zhou  1   2   3 , Dekun Song  1   2   3 , Lunhui Chang  1   2   3   4 , Weiying Liu  5 , Guorong Yan  2   3   4 , Guolong Zhang  1   2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

From actinic keratosis to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: the key pathogenesis and treatments

Zhenlin Li et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common non-melanoma skin cancer, among which 82% arise from actinic keratosis (AK) characterized by lesions of epidermal keratinocyte dysplasia. It is of great significance to uncover the progression mechanisms from AK to cSCC, which will facilitate the early therapeutic intervention of AK before malignant transformation. Thus, more and more studies are trying to ascertain the potential transformation mechanisms through multi-omics, including genetics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics. In this review, we gave an overview of the specific biomarkers and signaling pathways that may be involved in the pathogenesis from AK to cSCC, pointing out future possible molecular therapies for the early intervention of AK and cSCC. We also discussed current interventions on AK and cSCC, together with future perspectives.

Keywords: actinic keratosis; cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; malignant transformation; non-melanoma skin cancers; progression; skin cancers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The molecular alterations associated with cancer progression from normal skin to AK to cSCC. Schematic depicting the spectrum of morphologies of NS-AK-cSCC lesions, with relevant changes in gene expression.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Molecular alterations that drive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) proliferation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Current clinical drugs used in the management of AK and cSCC.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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