title: [The prognostic role of clinical factors, VEGF, IL-8 and sTNF-R1 in cutaneous melanomas at locoregional stage].
abstract: The treatment results of patients with locoregional melanoma are still not satisfactory - up to 50% of patients experience recurrence and (or) disease dissemination. The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic value of clinical factors and serum cytokines of patients with cutaneous melanoma in locoregional stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  149 patients at stage I-III according AJCC treated between 2007-2010 were included. Pre-surgery serum levels of VEGF IL-8 and sTNF-R1 were analyzed by ELISA method in 74 melanoma patients and 50 healthy controls. The median follow-up time was 16 months (range: 1-81 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most important factors influencing the disease-free survival (DFS) are: staging system according to AJCC) (p < 0.001), regional nodal stage (pN) (p < 0.001), primary tumor (Breslow) thickness (pT) (p = 0.013) and melanoma ulceration (p = 0.004). The serum levels of selected cytokines were significantly higher in melanoma patients than in healthy volunteers (VEGF, p < 0.001; sTNF-R1, p < 0.001; IL-8, p = 0.001). There were no significant relationships between level of cytokine, recurrence or clinical/pathological parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AJCC staging system gives the most accurate insight into prognosis of melanoma patients at locoregional stage after primary therapy. Cytokine serum profile in melanoma patients at locoregional stage has limited value for predicting tumor burden and treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Centre - Institute of Oncology in Warsaw, Poland, Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma. iwonalugowska@coi.waw.pl
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ługowska
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kowalska
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zdzienicki
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuksiewicz
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamińska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szamotulska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutkowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D047990:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016209:Interleukin-8; D047990:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A