title: Expression of estrogen receptors in melanoma and sentinel lymph nodes; a "female" clinical entity or a possible treatment modality?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The natural history of human malignant melanoma suggests that steroid hormones may affect the biological behavior of this tumor. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the specific immunostaining patterns of estrogen receptors in malignant melanomas and their sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs), as well as to examine any possible association with patients' prognosis and overall survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted during a 12-year period (2001-2012). Sixty patients with mean age of 54.4 ± 14.5 years diagnosed with melanomas of varying depth (Clark) and thickness (Breslow) after excision biopsy of pre-existing melanocytic lesions, were included in the study. All patients underwent wide excision of the primary tumor and SLN identification. Determination of estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) and beta (ERb) status by immunohistochemistry on tumor and nodal paraffin blocks was performed in all feasible cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERb but not ERa was the predominant estrogen receptor found in all primary tumors and SLNs examined. The most intense ERb immunostaining was seen in negative SLNs associated with thinner, less invading melanomas. ERb expression in the primary tumor seems to correlate with the cellular microenvironment, possibly altering the process of SLN invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERb expression is down-regulated in aggressive melanomas with sentinel nodal metastatic disease, suggesting its possible usefulness as a surrogate marker for metastatic potential and prognosis in malignant melanoma.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spyropoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melachrinou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vasilakos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tzorakoleftherakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: C506487:ESR1 protein, human; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta