Sasaki K, et al. - The cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype and its clinicopathologic relevance in cutaneous malignant tumors, with the inclusion of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and malignant melanoma (MM), was assessed. In all 3 subgroups, high expression of CD10 was commonly observed. These subgroups demonstrated an association with histologic subtypes, as follows: subgroup 1, MM; subgroup 2, BCC; and subgroup 3, SCC. Therefore, it was determined that the pattern of CAF- and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein expression plays a pivotal role in the progression of BCC, SCC, and MM.