Prognostic value of S-100-beta serum concentration in patients with uveal melanoma.
BACKGROUND
In cutaneous melanoma, the S-100-beta serum level is recognized as a marker of metastatic disease.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether S-100-beta is present in the serum of patients with uveal melanoma and to test whether the serum concentration of S-100-beta is related to known clinical and histopathological prognostic factors in these patients.


METHODS
The S-100-beta concentration was measured in serum samples collected from 64 patients with uveal melanoma before enucleation and from 58 healthy control subjects. A 2-site immunoluminometric assay was used to quantify the S-100-beta concentration in serum. S-100-beta concentrations in the serum from patients were compared with clinicopathological tumor variables, sex, occurrence of metastasis, and survival.


RESULTS
Thirty-seven (57.8%) of 64 patients with uveal melanoma showed detectable levels of serum S-100-beta. There was, however, no significant difference between serum levels of patients and control subjects (P =.71). Statistical analysis showed no significant correlation between S-100-beta concentration and any of the clinicopathological tumor variables, occurrence of metastases, or survival. Only sex was correlated with S-100-beta serum levels, which was not observed in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study on patients with uveal melanoma, the S-100-beta serum concentration was not correlated with any investigated prognostic factor and was not of prognostic value itself. Female patients appeared to have higher S-100-beta concentrations than male patients.
Missotten
Guy S O A
GS
Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Tang
Nancy E M L
NE
Korse
Catharina M
CM
Hurks
H Monique H
HM
de Wolff-Rouendaal
Didi
D
Keunen
Jan E E
JE
Jager
Martine J
MJ
Bonfrer
Johannes M G
JM
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins