title: Prognostic value of galectin-3 in primary cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Galectin-3, one of the β-galactoside-binding lectins, has been suggested as a marker of disease progression in melanoma patients because of its overexpression observed in recent studies. However, prognostic value of galectin-3 in primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM) has not been clearly defined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to analyse whether the intensity of galectin-3 expression can predict survival in patients with PMC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Galectin-3 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in 104 PCM samples, including 71 (68.2%) superficial spreading (SSM) and 33 (31.8%) nodular melanomas (NM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant difference of galectin-3 expression between SSM and NM was determined (P < 0.001). Increased galectin-3 expression was positively correlated with tumour thickness (P < 0.001), Clark (P < 0.001) and Breslow (P < 0.001) stage, mitotic rate (P < 0.001), presence of tumour ulceration (P < 0.001), lymphatic invasion (P = 0.018), positive sentinel lymph node (P < 0.022) and distant metastases (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed an association between increased galectin-3 expression and reduced recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.001) and reduced disease-specific survival (DSS) (P = 0.015). In Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, significant predictors of reduced RFS were positive sentinel lymph node (P = 0.025) and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.021), whereas predictors of DSS were tumour thickness (P = 0.012), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.047), Clark stage (P = 0.029) and location of tumour on upper extremities (P = 0.024).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the potential role of galectin-3 in PCM development, progression and metastasis. Moreover, galectin-3 could serve as an additional prognostic marker that might help in further stratifying the risk of disease progression and metastasis in patients with PMC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatovenerology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buljan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Šitum
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milošević
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krušlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037502:Galectin 3