title: Minimal residual disease in melanoma: circulating melanoma cells and predictive role of MCAM/MUC18/MelCAM/CD146.
abstract: Circulating tumour cells (CTCs), identified in numerous cancers including melanoma, are unquestionably considered valuable and useful as diagnostic and prognostic markers. They can be detected at all melanoma stages and may persist long after treatment. A crucial step in metastatic processes is the intravascular invasion of neoplastic cells as circulating melanoma cells (CMCs). Only a small percentage of these released cells are efficient and capable of colonizing with a strong metastatic potential. CMCs' ability to survive in circulation express a variety of genes with continuous changes of signal pathways and proteins to escape immune surveillance. This makes it difficult to detect them; therefore, specific isolation, enrichment and characterization of CMC population could be useful to monitor disease status and patient clinical outcome. Overall and disease-free survival have been correlated with the presence of CMCs. Specific melanoma antigens, in particular MCAM (MUC18/MelCAM/CD146), could be a potentially useful tool to isolate CMCs as well as be a prognostic, predictive biomarker. These are the areas reviewed in the article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rapanotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campione
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spallone
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orlandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernardini
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of 'Tor Vergata' , Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bianchi