Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (TERT) promoter (TERTp) mutations have been reported as potential predictors of poor prognosis in several cancers, but the prognostic value of TERTp mutations for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) has not been determined.
A complex network of genes (TP53, CDKN2A, NOTCH1 and NOTCH2, EGFR and TERT) and molecular pathways (RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR) have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of cSCC.