title: Molecular diagnostics in melanoma.
abstract: Molecular pathology is rapidly evolving, featuring continuous technologic improvements that offer novel clinical opportunities for the recognition of disease predisposition, for identifying sub-clinical disease, for more accurate diagnosis, for selecting efficacious and non-toxic therapy, and for monitoring of disease outcome. Currently, the identification and prognosis of primary cutaneous melanoma is based on histologic factors (tumor depth and ulceration) and clinical factors (number of lymph node and/or distant metastases). However, metastasis can occur in patients with thin melanomas, and sentinel lymph node biopsy does not identify all patients at risk for distant metastasis. New markers exist that correlate with melanoma progression, which may aid in melanoma identification, prognostication, and detection of minimal residual disease/early recurrence. Moreover, not many therapeutic options exist for melanoma as no regimen prolongs survival. Emerging data with investigational therapies suggest that certain markers might play a crucial role in identifying patients who will respond to therapy or show utility in the monitoring the response to therapy. Herein, molecular diagnostics that can potentially benefit the individual melanoma patient will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatopathology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208, USA. carlsoa@mail.amc.edu
authors.forename: J Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Jeffery S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slominski
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Linette
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mysliborski
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mihm
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000502:physiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology; D009506:Nevus / Q000175:diagnosis; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D011379:Prognosis; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C492059:TRPM1 protein, human