Abstract: Objective To study the expression of CD44V6 in human epidermal tumours and malignant melanoma.Methods The expression of CD44V6 was detected by an immunohistochemical technique in squamous cell carcinoma(SCC),basal cell carcinoma(BCC) and malignant melanoma(MM).Results CD44V6 was expressed on the membrane of tumour cells of 10 patients with SCC,and there was downregulation of CD44V6 expression which along with the decrease of differentiation of SCC tumour cells.Tumour cells of 8 patients with MM and 10 patients with BCC did not express CD44V6.Conclusion Our findings suggest that CD44V6 expression is correlated with the types of skin tumours.

Key words: CD44V6, Squamous cell carcinoma, Basal cell carcinoma, Malignant melanoma