title: Serum bcl-2 and survivin levels in melanoma.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the serum levels of bcl-2 and survivin in patients with melanoma and the relationship with tumour progression and known prognostic parameters. Forty-four patients with cutaneous melanoma were investigated. Serum samples were obtained on first admission before adjuvant and metastatic treatment were given and at follow-up. Serum bcl-2 and survivin levels were determined using enzyme immunometric assay (EIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The baseline serum bcl-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with melanoma than in the control group (P=0.01). For the serum survivin levels, no difference was found (P=0.6). No significant correlations were found between the prognostic parameters analysed and the serum survivin concentrations. The same was true of the serum bcl-2 values, except for the age of the patient (P=0.025) and nodal involvement (P=0.003). No significant relationship was found between the serum levels of bcl-2 and survivin (r=-0.13, P=0.4). In node-positive patients (n=8) both of these anti-apoptotic substances were unchanged after interferon-alpha-2b therapy. However, serum survivin concentrations were significantly increased in 10 patients with metastatic melanoma who underwent dacarbazine (DTIC)-based cytotoxic chemotherapy (P=0.047). A similar finding was not determined for the serum bcl-2 levels. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that decreased apoptosis is associated partly with an increase in serum bcl-2. However, much research continues in this field, and exciting new knowledge will ultimately emerge.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, University of Istanbul, Capa, Istanbul, Turkey. faruktas2002@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duranyildiz
authors.forename: Andac
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argon
authors.forename: Hilal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Camlica
authors.forename: Vildan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yasasever
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topuz
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D003606:Dacarbazine