title: Pathologic and gene expression features of metastatic melanomas to the brain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognosis of metastatic melanomas to the brain (MBM) is variable with prolonged survival in a subset. It is unclear whether MBM differ from extracranial metastases (EcM) and primary melanomas (PrM).
  
  
  METHODS
  To study the biology of MBM, histopathologic analysis of tumor blocks from patients' craniotomy samples and whole-genome expression profiling (WGEP) with confirmatory immunohistochemistry were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High mononuclear infiltrate and low intratumoral hemorrhage were associated with prolonged overall survival (OS). Pathway analysis of WGEP data from 29 such craniotomy tumor blocks demonstrated that several immune-related BioCarta gene sets were associated with prolonged OS. WGEP analysis of MBM in comparison with same-patient EcM and PrM showed that MBM and EcM were similar, but both differ significantly from PrM. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that peritumoral CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ cells were associated with prolonged OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MBMs are more similar to EcM compared with PrM. Immune infiltrate is a favorable prognostic factor for MBM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krauze
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romkes
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Omolo
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Konstantinopoulos
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reinhart
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harasymczuk
authors.forename: YangYang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Soldano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrone
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Whiteside
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bortoluzzi
authors.forename: Jonette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Werley
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nukui
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fallert-Junecko
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kondziolka
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: Stergios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moschos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: brain metastases; craniotomy immune infiltrate; gene expression profiling; melanoma