title: The role of BRAF mutation in patients with high-risk malignant melanoma treated with high-dose adjuvant interferon therapy.
abstract: Data regarding the prognostic importance of BRAFV600 tumor mutations in high-risk, non-metastatic, stage 2 and 3 malignant melanoma (MM) patients are controversial. There is not sufficient information in the medical literature regarding the reliability of BRAF mutations as a predictive factor in prognosis and adjuvant treatment decision issues in this patient group. The data of 50 operated high-risk, non-metastatic, stage 2B/2C and 3 MM patients who received high-dose interferon alfa-2b therapy were evaluated retrospectively. BRAF mutations were analyzed by using microarray-based molecular methods. The associations between BRAF mutations and both clinicopathological characteristics and survival were assessed. Of the 50 patients, 52 % was female and 48 % was male, and the median age was 51.5 years. Twenty-three (46 %) and 27 (54 %) patients had stage 2B/2C and stage 3 disease, respectively. BRAF mutation was detected in 21 patients. The median overall survival (OS) was 58.1 months, whereas the median disease-free survival (DFS) was 22.7 months. When the OS and DFS were compared according to the BRAF mutation status, no difference was detected between the two groups. BRAF mutations were detected more frequently in tumors with mitosis and ulceration; however, no statistically significant difference was observed in other clinicopathological parameters. In conclusion, it is not appropriate to use BRAF mutations as a prognostic and predictive marker for selecting the treatment and assessing its outcomes in patients with early stage, high-risk MM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Gaziler Caddesi, No: 468 Yenisehir, Izmir, Turkey, tulaytuzel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oztop
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baskin
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbarpour
authors.forename: Olcun Umit
authors.initials: OU
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Utku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Oflazoglu
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ellidokuz
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lebe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf