title: Expression of EpCAM in uveal melanoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. daniloodashiro@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Danilo N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Odashiro
authors.forename: Alexandre N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Odashiro
authors.forename: Patrícia R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Katyanne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Godeiro
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antecka
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Cesare
authors.forename: Miguel N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Burnier