Bay Biosciences provides high-quality, matched fresh frozen sera (serum),  plasma, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) bio-fluids from patients diagnosed with carcinoma.

Moreover, the sera (serum), plasma and PBMC bio-fluids are processed from carcinoma patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

In addition, the matched bio-fluids are collected from unique patients with carcinoma and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, development and drug discovery.

Carcinoma Overview

A carcinoma is a cancerous tumor of the epithelial tissue, which is the tissue beneath the skin. Specifically, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are skin cancers; however, carcinoma can also affect the breasts, liver, lungs, neck, and other areas.
According to the estimates by the Skin Cancer Foundation, about 5.4 million people in the United States get carcinoma-type skin cancer each year.
Of those, annually, BCC accounts for about 3.6 million cases, and while, SCC accounts for 1.8 million cases, amounting to 67% and 33%, respectively.
In contrast, the third most common skin cancer is melanoma, which is more dangerous than carcinoma, because it can spread quickly if doctors do not detect it early.
Moreover, carcinomas are more common than melanomas and more treatable. Estimates suggest that in 2022, melanoma is likely to affect only about 197,700 people in the U.S.

What is Carcinoma?

A carcinoma, also known as nonmelanoma skin cancer, is a cancerous tumor of the epithelial tissue, which is a protective tissue that covers surfaces throughout the body.
Furthermore, the skin, or the epidermis, is a type of epithelial tissue. Specifically, BCC and SCC affect the epidermis.
Moreover, the epithelial tissue is present not only under the skin but also everywhere in the body, including in the digestive tract, in blood vessels, and around many organs. Consequently, this means that carcinomas can affect areas of the body other than the skin.

Types of Carcinoma

In addition, healthcare professionals define the different carcinomas by the type of cell in which they occur.

BCC

Firstly, BCC develops in basal cells, which are round skin cells that lie deep in the skin’s epidermis, below squamous cells. Notably, they form the base layer of the epidermis, which meets the dermis.
Although, BCC is unlikely to spread, but healthcare providers who suspect that an individual has this type of carcinoma will still refer them for further assessment.
Typically, BCC typically affects older adults, with a mean diagnosis age of 68 years.

SCC

On the other hand, squamous cells make up most of the top layer of the epidermis. These cells are flat and scale-like.
In fact, SCC is the second most common skin cancer after BCC. Moreover, it typically affects people after the age of 50 years.
Furthermore, doctors who suspect SCC will provide a more urgent referral, as it is more likely to spread than BCC.

Other Types of Carcinoma

In addition to BCC and SCC, there are several other subtypes of carcinoma that affect the epithelial tissue other than the skin. They include:

  • Adenocarcinoma: This is a type of carcinoma that develops in the glands. Specifically, it can affect many body parts or organs, including the lungs, prostate, stomach, pancreas, and food pipe.
  • Moreover, renal cell carcinoma: This cancer develops in the outer part of the kidneys.
  • In addition, papillary urothelial carcinoma: This cancer affects cells in the lower part of the kidneys or in the bladder.
  • Furthermore, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This cancer affects epithelial cells in the breast.
  • Invasive ductal carcinoma: This cancer develops in the breast and is a more serious type of DCIS.

Symptoms of Carcinoma

BCC and SCC are both skin tumors, and they share some characteristics. However, these skin lesions can vary in appearance.
For instance, some carcinomas retain a flat surface and, as a result, can resemble healthy skin. Therefore, anyone with any unexpected lesions should contact a healthcare professional for a checkup and monitoring.
Additionally, other than its presence, a lump or lesion often causes no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. As a result, it might not be noticeable until it becomes relatively large, when it may itch, bleed, or cause pain.

BCC

BCC typically presents as a shiny papule, which is a small red or pink lump that grows slowly. Moreover, a shiny, pearly, or waxy-looking border may form after a few months or years.
In addition, a raised edge often rings a central ulcer, and unusually looking blood vessels might become visible. Specifically, these may emerge as blue, brown, or black areas. Alternatively, they may be pink growths or pale or yellow areas that resemble scars.
Due to this wide range of appearances, obtaining an accurate diagnosis from a doctor is essential.
Furthermore, BCC might appear scaly, and it often causes recurrent crusting or bleeding. For instance, when it crusts over, it may resemble a healing scab, but sores can still appear. Consequently, people with BCC often seek medical advice when they discover a sore that does not heal.

SCC

Moving on to SCC, it typically presents as persistent, thick, rough, scaly patches or as a firm, pink lump with a flat, scaly, crusted surface.
Additionally, these lesions may bleed if a person bumps, scratches, or scrapes them. While they sometimes resemble warts, they can also appear as open sores with a crusted surface or raised edge.
Therefore, it is vital to seek the opinion of a healthcare professional regarding the development of any new

Causes of Carcinoma

Exposure to UV radiation from sunlight is the primary cause of carcinoma and other skin cancers.
However, some people are more sensitive to UV light and, consequently, more vulnerable to the effects of sunlight on cancer development than others. Additionally, extra UV exposure from tanning beds and UV drying lamps in nail salons, for example, can further add to a person’s risk.
Furthermore, UV radiation can cause damage to the DNA in skin cells, leading to mutations during cell division and, possibly, resulting in skin cancer.

Risk Factors of Carcinoma

Moreover, factors that increase the likelihood of carcinoma include a personal history of skin cancer and radiation therapy for any form of cancer, particularly in childhood. In addition, a family history of cancer may also play a role.
Other risk factors include:

  • First, having numerous, irregular, or large moles or freckles
  • Second, having an autoimmune condition, such as systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Third, having inherited conditions, such asxeroderma pigmentosum and nevoid BCC syndrome, also known as Gorlin syndrome
  • Moreover, having a weakened immune system, possibly due to HIV, receiving an organ transplant, or taking immunosuppressant drugs
  • Furthermore, taking medicines that make the skin photosensitive, such as vandetanib (Caprelsa), vemurafenib (Zelboraf), and voriconazole (Vfend), although different classes and types can cause sun sensitivity
  • Lastly, having a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly in people with a weakened immune system.

SCC-specific Risk Factors

Actinic keratosis which consists of rough, raised growths that cause precancerous changes in skin cells, is a risk factor specific to SCC.
Moreover, these growths are the most common type of precancerous skin lesion. Without treatment, this condition may develop into skin cancer.
While UV radiation is the leading risk factor for SCC, the following skin damage can also increase the risk of this type of carcinoma:

  • First, burns to the skin
  • Second, chemical damage
  • In addition, exposure to X-ray radiation

BCC might also develop after exposure to X-ray radiation in childhood, although this is a far less common cause of carcinoma than UV exposure.

Race and Ethnicity

“People who have a tendency to burn before getting a suntan, such as those who have light skin, can be more at risk of some types of carcinoma. Specifically, this includes people with blue or green eyes and those who have blond, red, or light brown hair.
However, it is important to note that people with dark skin can also get skin cancer. According to a 2016 study, SCC comprises 30–65% of skin cancer cases among people with dark skin, compared with 15–25% among white people.
Furthermore, BCC is more common among people who are white, comprising about 65–75% of skin cancer cases in this group, in contrast to 20–30% among People of Color.
Additionally, BCC is more prevalent among Latino, Chinese, and Japanese populations than it is among African Americans and Asian Indians.
In many cases, as a result, people with dark skin receive a skin cancer diagnosis much later, when the condition is, unfortunately, more life threatening.

Diagnosis of Carcinoma

To diagnose any form of skin cancer, a doctor will carry out a physical examination. Specifically, they will examine the skin lesion and record its size, shape, texture, and other physical attributes.
Additionally, they may also take a photo of the lesion for specialist review or to record its current size and appearance for future comparisons. Furthermore, the doctor will often check the rest of the body for additional skin symptoms.
Moreover, they will also take a medical history, focusing on the lesion and any related conditions, such as sunburn.
In cases where there is suspicion of SCC, a doctor will urgently refer suspected cases for specialist investigation and treatment due to their tendency to spread. On the other hand, suspected BCC tumors do not require such urgent referral, as they are less likely to spread.
If the doctor thinks that a lesion may be cancerous, they are also likely to perform a biopsy. In fact, there are four different types of skin biopsy, all of which involve the removal of skin tissue for laboratory assessment.

Types of Biopsy

Following are the different types are:

  • Shave biopsy: Using a sharp surgical blade, the doctor shaves the top layers of skin cells, usually as far as the dermis but sometimes deeper. Consequently, this type of biopsy often results in bleeding, but it is possible to stop this by cauterizing the wound, meaning sealing it using heat.
  • Punch biopsy: The doctor uses a sharp, hollow surgical tool that resembles a tiny cookie cutter to remove a circle of skin from below the dermis. Aa a result, a person may need a single stitch to close the resulting wound.
  • Incisional biopsy: The doctor removes part of the growth with a scalpel, cutting away a full-thickness wedge or slice of skin. Therefore, this type of biopsy often needs more than one stitch afterward.
  • Excisional biopsy: The doctor removes the whole growth and some surrounding tissue with a scalpel. Ultimately, resulting wound usually requires stitches.

After taking the tissue sample, the doctor will send it to a pathology laboratory for examination under a microscope. In turn, the pathology team will assess the cells to look for cancerous traits. If needed, cancer is present, the pathologists will determine its type.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends removing BCC lesions. Although, these lesions rarely spread, they can grow and become disfiguring and dangerous, depending on their location. Furthermore, the lesions can grow deep into the skin and affect the bones. In rare cases, BCC does spread aggressively.
In addition, individuals with SCC may need to undergo tests for cancer in other tissues.
Typically, additional tests usually involve imaging and may include:

  • Firstly, CT scans
  • Moreover, MRI scans
  • Furthermore, PET scans
  • Finally, X-rays

Treatment of Carcinoma

Regarding the treatment options for both types of carcinoma are similar. However, the medical team will place greater emphasis on monitoring people with SCC for signs of metastasis.
Ultimately, the specific treatment or treatments that a doctor recommends will depend on the size, type, stage, and location of the carcinoma. The doctor will also take into account other factors, such as potential side effects and a person’s preferences.
Either way, treatment is likely to involve a team of healthcare professionals, including dermatologist and surgical, medical, and radiological cancer specialists.
Treatment options may include surgical, chemical, and alternative modalities.

Surgery

Surgical options to treat carcinomas include:

  • Firstly, curettage and electrodesiccation: This is a standard procedure for removing a small lesion. Specifically, the doctor uses a small, sharp, spoon- or ring-shaped instrument called a curette to scrape away the carcinoma before burning the site with an electric needle. In some cases, it may take more than one round of curettage and desiccation to remove the cancer cells entirely.
  • Secondly, surgical excision: A surgeon removes the lesion, sometimes in a procedure known as Mohs surgery, which works better on larger lesions. During this procedure, the surgeon checks for the presence of cancer cells after removing each layer. Moreover, Mohs surgery is particularly useful in cases that require the removal of as little skin as possible, such as on lesions near the eye. Consequently, doctors will also use it on lesions with a high risk of recurrence.
  • Firstly, cryosurgery: For small tumors, doctors might use this procedure, which involves applying liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill cancer cells. As a result, the lesion then blisters over and falls off in the weeks following treatment.

Different Outlook

Experts use past statistics to estimate the percentage of people who are likely to live for 5 or more years after a diagnosis of cancer. In addition, these estimations are called survival rates.

However, they represent averages and do not account for factors such as a person’s age or overall health.

Specifically, researchers developed the following survival rates for 2023 based on people who received a lung cancer diagnosis between 2012 and 2018.

NSCLC survival rates

For instance, NSCLC, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports the following 5-year relative survival rates:

  • In detail, localized cancer: 65%
  • Regional cancer: 37%
  • Distant cancer: 9%

Consequently, the overall average likelihood of living for at least 5 years after NSCLC diagnosis is 28%.

SCLC survival rates

Similarly, the ACS estimates the following 5-year survival rates for people with SCLC:

  • In particular, localized cancer: 30%
  • Regional cancer: 18%
  • Distant cancer: 3%

Therefore,  overall average likelihood of living for at least 5 years after a diagnosis of SCLC is 7%.

Furthermore, other factors that may affect survival rates include a person’s age and whether the cancer has come back after treatment. Ultimately, recurring cancer and advanced age can have a negative effect on survival rates.

Consequently, people who receive a diagnosis of NSCLC or SCLC now may have a better outlook than these numbers show, based on improved treatments and other factors.

Biospecimens

biospecimen

Bay Biosciences is, indeed a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Specifically, samples available include cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma, cancer, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Moreover, Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types.

In fact, our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.

Additionally, all our human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

In particular, critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Moreover, researchers find patient’s data extremely valuable and use it to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, and other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Specifically, Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples, including cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Therefore, please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

  • Firstly, Peripheral whole-blood
  • Secondly, Amniotic fluid
  • Third, Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL)
  • Moreover, Sputum
  • Furthermore, Pleural effusion
  • Next, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • Also, Serum (sera)
  • Likewise, Plasma
  • In addition, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
  • For example, Saliva
  • Also, Buffy coat
  • Moreover, Urine
  • Furthermore, stool samples
  • Next, Aqueous humor
  • Likewise, Vitreous humor
  • Lastly, Kidney stones (renal calculi)
  • Finally, Other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.

Moreover, we can also procure most human bio-specimens, furthermore; we offer special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, and PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols. Additionally, you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.

  • 日本のお客様は、ベイバイオサイエンスジャパンBay Biosciences Japanまたはhttp://baybiosciences-jp.com/contact/までご連絡ください。