Clonal chromosome abnormalities in premalignant lesions of the skin.
Two lesions, actinic keratosis (AK) and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (CIS), are believed to be precursors of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin. These lesions can serve as an excellent model system for studying genetic changes associated with the inception of skin SCC. In the present study, five such lesions of the skin, three AKs and two AK+CIS, from three patients were short-term cultu