title: Decreased VDR expression in cutaneous melanomas as marker of tumor progression: new data and analyses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D3, acting via vitamin D receptor (VDR) affects a wide range of biological activities, including inhibition of proliferation and angiogenesis, with net antitumor effects. VDR expression is disturbed in many tumors, including melanomas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To find correlation between VDR expression in melanomas and prognostic biomarkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  VDR was analyzed immunohistochemically in 69 cutaneous melanomas in relation to prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Less advanced melanomas showed significantly higher VDR expression than the advanced stages. The presence of other markers such as ulceration and lack or non-brisk tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was accompanied by significantly lower VDR expression. VDR expression also affected overall survival (OS) with most noticeable effect in the cases without ulceration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High VDR expression determines a less malignant phenotype and is related to better prognosis. Loss of VDR expression affects melanoma tumor behavior, allowing for progression of disease. VDR expression can also serve as a prognostic marker in routine histopathology evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre, Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland anna.brozyna@cm.umk.pl aslominski@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Anna A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brożyna
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre, Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jóźwicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, U.S.A. Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, U.S.A. anna.brozyna@cm.umk.pl aslominski@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Andrzej T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Slominski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; C579457:VDR protein, human
keywords: Skin melanoma; tumor progression; vitamin D receptor