title: Tumor cell and circulating markers in melanoma: diagnosis, prognosis, and management.
abstract: The search is on for biomarkers for use in the diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and management of patients with melanoma. As with many types of cancer, the hematogenous spread of melanoma is a bad prognostic sign, and many groups have attempted to detect circulating melanoma cells in patients with different stages of melanoma. Some studies have used direct extraction of intact tumor cells from the peripheral blood and others the detection of surrogate markers of circulating melanoma cells, such as tyrosinase or MART-1. However, a correlation between the detection of intact melanoma cells in the circulation and prognosis is controversial. Many other biomarkers have also been studied, including lactate dehydrogenase, S100, TA90, and C-reactive protein. Much progress has been made, and preliminary studies have shown promise with many of these markers. Finally, the detection of tumor-specific circulating DNA has shown promise as a prognostic and diagnostic marker of disease in melanoma as well. In this review we examine the most promising biomarkers for use in patients with cutaneous melanoma.
authors.affiliation: The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kounalakis
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goydos
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008954:Models, Biological; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011379:Prognosis; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; C548667:MLANA protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; C113885:TA90 immune complex; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase