Expression of cyclin-D1 in uveal malignant melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Uveal malignant melanoma (MM) is characterized by a marked variability in biological behavior and by an unpredictable clinical course. Therefore the search for reliable prognostic parameters is active. In this study we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1, a cell cycle regulatory molecule, to analyze the possible significance of the protein in the prognostic evaluation of these neoplasms.


METHODS
Forty-five selected uveal MM were incubated with the anti-cyclin D-1 antibody; the findings were compared with the follow-up data, with the cell type and with the largest tumor dimension.


RESULTS
The overexpression of cyclin D1 was found to be inversely related to disease-free interval (p < 0.001) and to the spindle A/B tumors with good prognosis (p = 0.05). On the other hand, a direct correlation was found with epithelioid/spindle B melanomas with poor clinical course (p = 0.05) and with sclera infiltration (p = 0.01). No statistically significant relation emerged between cyclin D1 expression and LTD.


CONCLUSIONS
These data may suggest a possible role of the overexpression of cyclin D1 in the tumorigenesis of uveal MM and in the prognostic evaluation of these tumors, representing a useful tool to subclassify lesions with similar morphological features.
Errico
Maria Elena
ME
Pathology Section, Department of Biomorphologic and Functional Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
Staibano
Stefania
S
Tranfa
Fausto
F
Bonavolonta
Giulio
G
Lo Muzio
Lorenzo
L
Somma
Pasquale
P
Lucariello
Antonio
A
Mansueto
Gelsomina
G
D'Aponte
Antonella
A
Ferrara
Gerardo
G
De Rosa
Gaetano
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D019938:Cyclin D1