title: TERT promoter mutation status as an independent prognostic factor in cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, TERT promoter mutations were identified at high frequencies in cutaneous melanoma tumor samples and cell lines. The mutations were found to have a UV-signature and to lead to increased TERT gene expression. We analyzed a large cohort of melanoma patients for the presence and distribution of TERT promoter mutations and their association with clinico-pathological characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  410 melanoma tumor samples were analyzed by Sanger sequencing for the presence of TERT promoter mutations. An analysis of associations between mutation status and various clinical and pathologic variables was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TERT promoter mutations were identified in 154 (43%) of 362 successfully sequenced melanomas. Mutation frequencies varied between melanoma subtype, being most frequent in melanomas arising in nonacral skin (48%) and melanomas with occult primary (50%), and less frequent in mucosal (23%), and acral (19%) melanomas. Mutations carried a UV signature (C>T or CC>TT). The presence of TERT promoter mutations was associated with factors such as BRAF or NRAS mutation (P < .001), histologic type (P = .002), and Breslow thickness (P < .001). TERT promoter mutation was independently associated with poorer overall survival in patients with nonacral cutaneous melanomas (median survival 80 months vs 291 months for wild-type; hazard ratio corrected for other covariates 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29 to 4.74; P = .006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UV-induced TERT promoter mutations are one of the most frequent genetic alterations in melanoma, with frequencies varying depending on melanoma subtype. In nonacral cutaneous melanomas, presence of TERT promoter mutations is independently associated with poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS). klaus.griewank@uk-essen.de dirk.schadendorf@uk-essen.de.
authors.forename: Klaus G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Griewank
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Rajmohan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murali
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Joan Anton
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Puig-Butille
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Livingstone
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potrony
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schimming
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwamborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sucker
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hillen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Badenas
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malvehy
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherag
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS).
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology,University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen and the German Cancer Consortium (KGG, BS, EL, TS, IM, MS, AS, UH, LZ, DS), Germany; Department of Pathology and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (RM); CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain (JAPB, MP, CC, CB, JM, SP); Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (CC, JM, SP); Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain (CB); Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum (IFB) Sepsis und Sepsisfolgen Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC) University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany (AS). klaus.griewank@uk-essen.de dirk.schadendorf@uk-essen.de.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schadendorf
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008545:Melanoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009154:Mutation; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase