Detection of melanoma seeding during surgical procedures--an RT-PCR based model.
OBJECTIVE
It has long been suggested that malignant cells may be shed into the blood stream during any given surgical procedure for cancer. A number of studies have now reported the detection of occult melanoma cells in peripheral blood using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based assay. The principal aim of these studies has been to determine a prognostic value for the test and not to evaluate the influence of intervention upon results.


METHODS
In this pilot study we aimed to determine whether the assay could be used as a model to detect cells that are seeded during surgery. Peripheral blood samples were obtained pre- and post-operatively on twenty patients undergoing surgery for malignant melanoma - ten with primary disease and ten undergoing regional lymphadenectomy. A further ten patients undergoing surgery for non-melanoma conditions provided controls.


RESULTS
Using RT-PCR, it was possible to identify tyrosinase transcripts in the peripheral blood of one of ten patients undergoing excision of local disease and four of ten undergoing surgery for regional metastatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that this technique does enable detection of a greater percentage of RT-PCR findings post-operatively. This in turn may provide a means for optimizing or comparing surgical techniques and provides a potential guide in the use of adjuvant therapies.
Warr
R P
RP
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol. robwarr@doctors.org.uk
Zebedee
Z
Z
Kenealy
J
J
Rigby
H
H
Kemshead
J T
JT
D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods