title: Prognostic value of RT-PCR tyrosinase detection in peripheral blood of melanoma patients.
abstract: Malignant melanoma (MM) prognosis has been related to tumour thickness and clinical stage and metastasis risk has been associated with presence of tumour cells in peripheral blood. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between presence of tyrosinase in peripheral blood of MM patients and their clinical prognosis. Blood samples from 58 MM patients (stage I-IV) were analysed, using RT-PCR assay to detect tyrosinase mRNA. The results showed that positive RT-PCR assay for tyrosinase were significantly associated with clinical status and tumour thickness. After a median follow-up of 24 months, RT-PCR results were found to be significant correlated with recurrence (p<0.05) and clinical stage III (p<0.05). Separate analysis of stage III tumours to determine the prognostic value of tyrosinase presence in peripheral blood showed an overall 24-month survival rate of 70% in the RT-PCR negative group versus 10% in the positive group (p<0.02). These results suggest that detection of circulating melanoma cells may be especially relevant in stage III patients, in whom RT-PCR positivity defines a subpopulation at high risk of recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Biopathology and Medicine Regenerative Institute (IBIMER), Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Esmeralda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prados
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: Houria
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boulaiz
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Serrano
authors.forename: Octavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Caba
authors.forename: Salvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aránega
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000737:chemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase