• A novel gene-signature for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) shows it can pinpoint a group of patients at elevated risk for metastasis, performing better than current staging methods

(SeaPRwire) –   ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SAN DIEGO, April 23, 2026 — SkylineDx, a pioneering firm in dermatology molecular diagnostics, today unveiled recent research on its precision diagnostics progress, which features a new gene expression signature. This signature, called the SCC Outcome Risk Estimation Gene Expression Profile (SCCore GEP), can forecast metastatic events in CSCC more effectively than the current staging system. It will be featured in an oral presentation at the 22^nd European Association of Dermato-Oncology (EADO) Congress, held from April 23-25 in Prague and virtually.

Oral presentation: “A gene expression signature enables metastatic risk stratification of low-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients.”

CSCC is the second most frequent type of skin cancer, with approximately 1.8 million annual cases in the U.S.¹˒² and 56,000 yearly deaths worldwide³˒⁴. Its occurrence has risen by 200% in the last thirty years⁵.  

More than a third of metastatic cases happen in CSCC patients who are typically categorized as “low risk” (T1, T2a)⁶. Although these patients make up 90% of the CSCC population, present staging systems do not accurately classify them. Professor Marlies Wakkee from the Department of Dermatology at Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, will share results on a new gene expression signature for CSCC.

“This molecular profiling method allows for personalized risk assessment, enabling doctors to increase diagnostic efforts and surveillance for genuinely high-risk patients and prevent unnecessary overtreatment of low-risk individuals,” stated Prof. Wakkee. “Adopting management strategies based on risk information allows for the early detection and treatment of metastatic events, potentially even stopping them from occurring.”

“This is our inaugural conference oral presentation on our CSCC signature, highlighting our advancement towards more precise risk assessment for this prevalent disease,” commented Dharminder Chahal, CEO of SkylineDx. “The results emphasize the importance of incorporating molecular diagnostics into routine clinical care, showing how precise instruments can improve patient outcomes and inform treatment choices.” 

About SkylineDx

SkylineDx is a biotech company dedicated to the R&D of molecular diagnostics for oncology, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. The company leverages its knowledge to connect academically identified gene expression signatures with commercially viable diagnostic tools of significant clinical value. These tools help medical practitioners precisely diagnose disease type or stage, or forecast a patient’s treatment response. Using the test outcomes, clinicians can customize the therapeutic plan for each patient. With its headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, SkylineDx has a substantial U.S. footprint, operating a CAP/CLIA accredited lab in San Diego, California, and a countrywide commercial service team providing comprehensive operational support throughout the U.S. market. For additional information about SkylineDx, visit www.skylinedx.com.

Footnotes

(1) Our New Approach to a Challenging Skin Cancer Statistic. The Skin Cancer Foundation. https://www.skincancer.org/blog/our-new-approach-to-a-challenging-skin-cancer-statistic/. Accessed January 20, 2024.

(2) Association of Age, Sex, Race, and Geographic Region With Variation of the Ratio of Basal Cell to Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas in the United States | Dermatology | JAMA Dermatology | JAMA Network

(3) Lomas, A., Leonardi-Bee, J. & Bath-Hextall, F. A systematic review of worldwide incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Br. J. Dermatol. 166, 1069–1080 (2012).

(4 ) Jiang, R., Fritz, M. & Que, S. K. T. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: An updated review. Cancers (Basel)

(5) Squamous Cell Carcinoma Overview | Moffitt

(6) Prevalence of poor outcomes in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by AJCC and BWH tumor stages: A systematic review and meta-analysis – PubMed

Media Contact:
ICR Healthcare
Alexis Feinberg
+1 203-939-2225
Alexis.feinberg@icrhealthcare.com

SkylineDx Contact:
Linda Forlani
press@skylinedx.com 

SOURCE SkylineDx