Expression of EpCAM in uveal melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in adults, and nearly 40% of UM will develop metastasis that will ultimately lead to death. The Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein expressed by carcinomas of head and neck, ovary, colon, breast, kidney and lung. Recently, antibodies against EpCAM such as Edrecolomab and Catumaxomab were developed, and clinical trials with these antibodies have been used in several types of neoplasia. We studied the expression of EpCAM in UM.


METHODS
25 enucleated formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded UM specimens were immunostained for EpCAM. Histopathological analysis of the specimens with regards to prognostic factors such as cell type, largest (linear) tumor dimension, number of mitotic figures, scleral invasion and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were done.


RESULTS
None of them was positive for this EpCAM.


CONCLUSIONS
In our report, UM did not express EpCAM. Therefore, it is not a helpful immunohistochemical marker to predict the behavior of UM. Further studies are needed to verify if EpCAM could also be related with prognosis and treatment of UM.
Odashiro
Danilo N
DN
Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. daniloodashiro@yahoo.com
Odashiro
Alexandre N
AN
Pereira
Patrícia R
PR
Godeiro
Katyanne
K
Antecka
Emilia
E
Di Cesare
Sebastian
S
Burnier
Miguel N
MN