Changes in nuclei and peritumoral collagen within nodular basal cell carcinomas via confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy.

Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy is used to probe the nuclei of normal human epidermal cells and epidermally derived cancer cells from nodular basal cell carcinomas. Clear differences are seen between the spectra. The nuclei of tumor cells appear to have different contributions from nucleic acids, histones, and proteins with an actin-like spectrum than those of normal epidermal cells. Changes in the contribution of DNA to the spectra are consistent with the staining of conventional histopathologic specimens. We also obtain spectra of the dermis, where it is found that the dermis close to tumor boundaries is not simply deficient in collagen, but shows signs of structural changes as well.