title: TRPM1 (melastatin) expression is an independent predictor of overall survival in clinical AJCC stage I and II melanoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The expression of TRPM1 (melastatin) mRNA is an independent marker, as measured by radioactive in situ hybridization (RISH), of disease-free survival in primary cutaneous melanoma (PM). The aim of the study was to determine if chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) can reproduce results examining diagnostic and prognostic utility of TRPM1 mRNA expression in melanocytic proliferations as measured by RISH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of TRPM1 mRNA was detected by CISH in melanocytic nevi (MN, n = 61), PM (n = 145) and metastatic melanomas (MMs, n = 15).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A progressive loss of TRPM1 was found moving from MN to PM to MM. The histologic stepwise model of melanoma progression revealed that loss of TRPM1 occurred at the transition of RGP PM to VGP PM. As a diagnostic marker, TRPM1 gradient loss showed 93.8% sensitivity and 52.4% specificity for PM. Loss of TRPM1 mRNA correlated with melanoma aggressiveness markers and was independent predictor of disease-free and overall survival. The corresponding survival curves for degree of melanoma pigmentation matched those for degree of loss of TPRM1 mRNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loss of TRPM1 mRNA expression appears to be a crucial event in the progression of melanoma to a more malignant, metastatic phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre-Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brożyna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Huazhang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College MC-81, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Sun-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Linette
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, MC-6230, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College MC-81, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College MC-81, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slominski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College MC-81, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: J Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C492059:TRPM1 protein, human
keywords: 
  TRPM1
  ; chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH); melanin; melanoma; survival analysis