title: [The diagnostic significance of alpha-MSH in malignant melanoma of man].
abstract: In malignant melanoma, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) has been found to influence the cellular metabolism of melanoma cells (c-AMP production, protein and RNA synthesis, and tyrosinase activation). In some publications elevated alpha-MSH levels have been described in melanoma patients. In the present study we used a commercially available radioimmunoassay to examine the alpha-MSH levels in patients with malignant melanoma and a control group consisting of apparently healthy volunteers (laboratory assistants) and dermatological patients without malignant tumours. The plasma alpha-MSH levels were (mean +/- SD) 12.2 +/- 12.9 for 37 melanoma patients (17 female, 20 male) and 7.9 +/- 3.5 pmol/l for 38 control persons (18 female, 20 male). The difference is significant according to the distribution-free U-test of Mann and Whitney. In 13 (35%) of the melanoma patients values were above the normal range defined by the 95.5% confidence limit. alpha-MSH cannot be classified as a typical tumour marker. Nonetheless, in our opinion alpha-MSH levels may be useful in monitoring melanoma patients with reference to prognosis and follow up during and after therapy.
authors.affiliation: Hautklinik, Medizinischen Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität, Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartze
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fiedler
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000521:alpha-MSH
vernacular_title: Zur diagnostischen Bedeutung des alpha-MSH beim malignen Melanom des Menschen.