Skin Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Skin Cancer, including details on identification, causes, prevention, treatment.

Quantification of melanoma micrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes using real-time RT-PCR.

Giese T, Engstner M, Mansmann U, Hartschuh W, Arden B

Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Thomas.Geise@urz.uni-heidelberg.de

Detection of micrometastases in the regional tumor-draining lymph nodes is critical for staging and prognosis in melanoma patients. We applied a quantitative multiple-marker RT-PCR assay to improve the detection of occult melanoma cells in the sentinel lymph node (SLN). From 139 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma who underwent sentinel lymphadenectomy, a total of 235 SLN were assessed for Melan-A and tyrosinase expression by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Twenty-three patients (17%) were positive by histopathology and expressed messenger RNA of one or two markers. Of the patients with histopathologically negative SLN 39 (28%) were reclassified by positive RT-PCR. Patients were examined for tumor recurrences during a median follow-up period of 29 mo. Tumor recurrences were demonstrated in eight patients (35%) with histopathologically positive SLN, in four patients (10%) with submicroscopic tumor cells detected exclusively by real-time RT-PCR, and in none of the patients negative by both methods. The differences in recurrence rates were statistically significant (p=0.01). These data indicate that real-time quantitative RT-PCR for the detection of minimal residual melanoma in SLN improves the prediction of disease-free survival.

Published 1 March 2005 in J Invest Dermatol, 124(3): 633-7.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Skin Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.