title: Serum S100--a marker for disease monitoring in metastatic melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  S100 proteins are low-molecular-weight calcium-binding proteins and appear to play an important role in various cellular processes such as cell division and differentiation. In histopathology, S100 is widely accepted as the marker of choice for immunohistochemical identification of malignant melanoma. When S100 was detected in the serum of patients with malignant melanoma, it was suggested that serum S100 may be a useful marker for the stage of disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine serum S100 concentrations of patients with different stages of malignant melanoma and to determine the value of serum S100 in the follow-up of melanoma patients during treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera were obtained from 73 melanoma patients in different stages of the disease. The control group consisted of 130 healthy subjects. In 4 patients with metastatic melanoma, serum S100 was measured serially. Serum levels were measured by a commercially available immunoradiometric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While only 1 out of 25 stage I/II patients and 3 of 14 patients with lymph node metastases (stage III, 21.4%) showed detectable serum S100 levels, 27 of 34 patients with disseminated disease (stage IV, 79.4%) had elevated serum S100. Interestingly, rising levels of serum S100 in the serial measurement indicated progression of the disease, and a complete decline reflected 2 patient remissions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data support the value of serum S100 as a clinical marker for progression of metastatic melanoma and serological monitoring during systemic therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henze
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dummer
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Joller-Jemelka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Böni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018327:Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012074:Remission Induction; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009418:S100 Proteins