title: Prognostic value of serial blood S100B determinations in stage IIB-III melanoma patients: a corollary study to EORTC trial 18952.
abstract: S100B is a prognostic factor for melanoma as elevated levels correlate with disease progression and poor outcome. We determined its prognostic value based on updated information using serial determinations in stage IIb/III melanoma patients. 211 Patients who participated in the EORTC 18952 trial, evaluating efficacy of adjuvant intermediate doses of interferon α2b (IFN) versus observation, entered a corollary study. Over a period of 36 months, 918 serum samples were collected. The Cox time-dependent model was used to assess prognostic value of the latest (most recent) S100B determination. At first measurement, 178 patients had S100B values <0.2 μg/l and 33 ≥ 0.2 μg/l. Within the first group, 61 patients had, later on, an increased value of S100B (≥ 0.2 μg/l). An initial increased value of S100B, or during follow-up, was associated with worse distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS); hazard ratio (HR) of S100B ≥ 0.2 versus S100B < 0.2 was 5.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.81-8.16), P < 0.0001, after adjustment for stage, number of lymph nodes and sex. In stage IIb patients, the HR adjusted for sex was 2.14 (95% CI 0.71, 6.42), whereas in stage III, the HR adjusted for stage, number of lymph nodes and sex was 6.76 (95% CI 4.50-10.16). Similar results were observed regarding overall survival (OS). Serial determination of S100B in stage IIb-III melanoma is a strong independent prognostic marker, even stronger compared to stage and number of positive lymph nodes. The prognostic impact of S100B ≥ 0.2 μg/l is more pronounced in stage III disease compared with stage IIb.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus University MC - Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, 301 Groene Hilledijk, 3075 EA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bouwhuis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suciu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kruit
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salès
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stoitchkov
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cocquyt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liénard
authors.forename: A M M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghanem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins