title: Prognostic implications of protein S-100beta serum levels in the clinical outcome of high-risk melanoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was the aim of this study to analyze the clinical value of the determination of serum S-100beta protein in high-risk melanoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were tested for serum S-100beta protein by luminoimmunometric assay after melanoma surgical excision, before starting interferon-alpha2b and every 3 months thereafter, until treatment was completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven patients were included in the study. Median follow-up was 62.9 months (range 32.7-87.4). High baseline S-100beta levels were associated with positive lymph node status (p = 0.02). High S-100beta levels (during therapy) showed a relation with positive lymph node status (p = 0.014), number of positive lymph nodes (p = 0.01), macroscopic lymph node involvement (p = 0.002) and second melanoma diagnosis at study entry (p = 0.001). By univariate analysis, high baseline S-100beta levels were associated with disease-free survival (p = 0.004) and overall survival (p = 0.0007). Similarly, high S-100beta levels during therapy were associated with disease-free survival (p < 0.0001) and overall survival (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, high S-100beta levels during therapy (hazard ratio 1.017, 95% CI 1.008-1.026; p < 0.0001) and high baseline S-100beta levels (hazard ratio 3.31, 95% CI 1.10-9.89; p = 0.032) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival when compared with low levels while on therapy and low baseline S-100beta levels, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence of the clinical usefulness of serum S-100beta level determination in high-risk melanoma patients. S-100beta serum determination should be considered to be included in clinical trials that test adjuvant therapies in melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Department and Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain. 33884jdd@comb.es
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Domingo-Domènech
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castel
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Auge
authors.forename: Xabier Adrian
authors.initials: XA
authors.lastname: Garcia-Albeniz
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conill
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilella
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matas
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malvehy
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gascón
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mellado
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012306:Risk; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins