Immunohistochemical determination of HER-2/neu, c-Kit (CD117), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression in malignant melanoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and evaluate the possible prognostic value of the molecular targets in malignant melanoma, we studied the overexpression of HER-2/neu, c-Kit, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in this patient population.


METHODS
Overexpression of HER-2/neu, c-Kit, and VEGF was evaluated using immunohistochemical assays in 202 archival tissue specimens.


RESULTS
Only two patients (0.9%) revealed HER-2/neu overexpression, whereas 46 (22.8%) revealed c-Kit and 42 (20.8%) specimens showed VEGF overexpression. Multivariate analysis performed did not show a significant difference in survival between c-Kit-positive and c-Kit-negative groups (P = 0.36) and VEGF-positive and VEGF-negative groups (P = 0.25). Interestingly, c-Kit was more likely to be overexpressed in the superficial spreading type and VEGF was overexpressed preferentially in the amelanotic melanoma type.


CONCLUSIONS
HER-2/neu has no role in melanogenesis. Both c-Kit (expressed in superficial spreading disease) and VEGF (expressed in amelanotic melanoma) may have significant therapeutic implications as molecular targets, which warrants further investigation.
Potti
Anil
A
Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of North Dakota School of Medicine, 58102, USA. apotti@medicine.nodak.edu
Moazzam
Nauman
N
Langness
Eric
E
Sholes
Kaley
K
Tendulkar
Ketki
K
Koch
Michael
M
Kargas
Steve
S
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A