Quantitative detection of soluble adhesion molecules in sera of melanoma patients correlates with clinical stage.
BACKGROUND
Adhesion is crucial in the metastatic process of malignant tumours. Recently, the expression of certain selectins on intratumoral vessels has been shown to be associated with the clinical outcome of melanoma patients.


OBJECTIVE
For the first time, this study examines the serum concentrations of circulating soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CD 106), endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule (CD62E), sP-selectin (CD62P) and sCD44v5 in comparison to soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1, CD54) in a series of 34 melanoma patients at different clinical stages and 11 normal donors using ELISA:


RESULTS
sICAM-1 and sP-selectin levels were statistically elevated in all subgroups of melanoma patients compared to controls (p < 0.01). Circulating ICAM-1 as well as sP-selectin might be valuable additional serological tumour markers which correspond to tumour load and correlate with progression of malignant melanoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of sICAM-1 and sP-selectin serum levels might therefore provide a sensitive tool for monitoring the clinical course of melanoma.
Schadendorf
D
D
Department of Dermatology, Virchow-Klinikum, HU Berlin, Germany.
Diehl
S
S
Zuberbier
T
T
Schadendorf
C
C
Henz
B M
BM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D019007:P-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1