Apoptosis inhibitor, survivin, in posterior uveal melanoma: comparison among primary tumors, tumors resistant to brachytherapy, tumors with liver metastases, and liver metastases.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of survivin, an apoptosis inhibitor protein, in human posterior uveal melanoma.


METHODS
Specimens were divided according to eyes with tumors that were enucleated primarily, those resistant to brachytherapy, eyes from patients with known liver metastases, and liver metastases.


RESULTS
There was only low expression of survivin in uveal melanoma. No difference in survivin positive cell counts per high power field (PCC/HPF) were found among tumors that were enucleated primarily (n = 33), tumors with previous brachytherapy (n = 29), tumors with liver metastases (n = 12) or liver metastases (n = 18). Corresponding counts were 11.8 (+/-14.3), 11.8 (+/-16.8), 7.1 (+/-11.2), and 4.7 (+/-8.8) in the four groups, respectively (p > 0.05). Half of the liver metastases showed no staining for survivin. Twenty patients (24%) had tumor-related death at the end of follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Survivin is expressed in posterior uveal melanomas that were treated by enucleation, as well as in tumors that were previously treated with brachytherapy or liver metastases; however, its expression by immunostaining did not seem with correlate with the tumor biological activity.
Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Guy J
GJ
Ben Simon
Adi
A
Abulafia
Jacob
J
Pe'er
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077022:Survivin; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000077022:Survivin