title: Long-term survival analysis in metastatic melanoma: serum S100B is an independent prognostic marker and superior to LDH.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognosis of metastatic melanoma is poor. The purpose of this study was to perform a long-term survival analysis on patients with advanced melanoma to determine clinical and laboratory prognostic factors for treatment outcome and long-term survival. The prognostic importance of S100B serum levels on overall survival compared to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 105 AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) stage IV melanoma patients from 1994 to 2001 were analyzed retrospectively. Median time to progression and overall survival were assessed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to determine prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  86 (81.9%) of the 105 patients died during the observation period. In univariate analysis, pre-therapeutic LDH and S100B levels in serum samples (p = 0.01 and p = 0.002, respectively), tumor stage (AJCC IVa-IVc, p = 0.005), and response to the firstline therapy (p < 0.001) were found to be significant prognostic markers. However, in the multivariate analysis, pre-therapeutic S100B serum levels (p = 0.005, odds ratio (OR): 2.22, confidence interval (CI): 1.22-4.1) as well as presence of brain metastases (p = 0.009, OR: 5.08, CI: 1.51-17.05) were the only independent prognostic factors for overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In metastatic melanoma, S100B is a strong prognostic factor for overall and long-term survival, and superior to LDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Egberts
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pollex
authors.forename: Jan-Hendrik
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Egberts
authors.forename: Katharina C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kaehler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weichenthal
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hauschild
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; C579160:S100B protein, human