title: Detection of circulating melanoma cells in the blood of melanoma patients: a preliminary study.
abstract: Significant prognostic heterogeneity exists within the substages of melanoma; therefore, novel prognostic biomarkers are needed to provide information on the risk of recurrence. Limited available data suggest prognostic significance for circulating melanoma cells (CMCs); there is a need for a sensitive, reproducible, and standardized identification technique. Using a semiautomated technology, we sought to determine whether CMCs could be identified reliably in stage I-IV melanoma patients and whether the presence of CMC correlated with known prognostic factors. CMCs were detected in the peripheral blood (7.5 ml) of patients with stage I-IV melanoma (n=89) using the CellSearch system. CD146 cells were immunomagnetically enriched; nucleated HMW-MAA/CD45/CD34 cells were considered CMCs. One or more CMCs was detected in 45% of all patients, varying with stage of disease (stages I/II, III, and IV: 35, 44, and 86%, respectively; P=0.03, for stage I/II vs. stage IV); 55% had one CMC, 32% had two CMCs, and 13% had three or more CMCs identified. The presence of CMCs in the blood was associated with histologic subtype, particularly in patients with stage I/II disease (superficial spreading 18% vs. acral lentiginous 75%). Using a semiautomated technique, CMCs can be identified in a significant number of melanoma patients. These data support further study with longer follow-up and longitudinal/serial time points to better determine the identification rates and prognostic significance of CMCs in stage I-IV melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roland
authors.forename: Merrick I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Carolyn S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laubacher
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Upshaw
authors.forename: Amber E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucci
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4