title: Correlation between High Endothelial Vessels and Histopathological Features of Different Pigmented Lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are playing an important role in cutaneous melanoma being a strong prognostic parameter. Our goal was to study the presence of high endothelial vessels in correlation with the histopathological features in different pigmented skin lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  our study group included 60 patients (20 cases with dysplastic nevi, 20 thin melanoma and 20 thick melanoma). For each patient we noted epidemiological and clinico-pathological characteristics including: age, gender, anatomic sites, regression, Breslow thickness, mitoses, Clark level and lymphocytic infiltration. Using immunohistochemistry staining we identified the presence of high endothelial vessels in our groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the most common localization of primary melanoma was trunk 57,5%, followed by extremities 35% and head 7,5%. We found positive MECA-79 vessels in 67% of primary melanoma samples and in 30% of dysplastic nevi. Lymphocytic infiltration was present in 80% samples of dysplastic nevi and 75% of primary melanomas. Using Kruskal Wallis non-parametric test we found a positive association between MECA-79+ vessels and different anatomic sites (p<0,01). We have also found a significant correlation between MECA-79+ vessels and the presence of regression in melanoma samples. In conclusion a better understanding of tumor microenvironment and mechanisms involved in anti-tumor response might play an important role in development of future melanoma therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avram
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mixich
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ioana
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patrascu
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monteagudo
keywords: MECA-79; dysplastic nevi; high endothelial vessels; melanoma; tumor infiltrationg lymphocytes