title: Serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor as a potential tumor marker in patients with malignant melanoma.
abstract: Serum markers can be important tools for prognostic classification and treatment monitoring in cancer patients. The MAP-kinase pathway, which is upregulated in the majority of melanoma patients, can be activated by hepatocyte-growth factor (HGF) through the proto-oncogene c-MET. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive and prognostic value of circulating HGF in terms of treatment outcome and survival compared with a widely established serum marker, protein S-100B, in patients with advanced metastatic melanoma. HGF and S-100B were measured in serum samples of 101 patients with metastatic melanoma (American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IV) before and after treatment and 50 patients with stage I/II melanoma. HGF and S-100B correlated significantly with the stage of disease (P=0.032 and P<0.001, respectively). In stage IV melanoma patients, baseline serum levels of HGF and S-100B were significantly associated with treatment response (P=0.012 and 0.006, respectively). Furthermore, the Cox regression analysis confirmed that serum levels of HGF and S-100B proved to have a significant prognostic impact on progression-free survival (hazard ratio=1.39 and 1.29, respectively) and overall survival (hazard ratio=1.27 and 1.29, respectively) in advanced metastatic melanoma patients. In melanoma patients, serum levels of HGF and S-100B correlate significantly with the stage of disease. In stage IV melanoma, both markers are prognostic factors and correlate significantly with progression-free survival and overall survival. Measurement of serum HGF levels might be a useful additional tool in the management of melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Dermatology, State Hospital Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee bVorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment (VIVIT), Feldkirch cDepartment of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria dDepartment of Dermatology, Campus Kiel, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hügel
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muendlein
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Volbeding
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexel
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richtig
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wehkamp
authors.forename: Clemes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Painsi
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lange-Asschenfeldt
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hauschild
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Egberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C066855:HGF protein, human; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor