Circulating melanoma cells and survival in metastatic melanoma

• Published in: International journal of oncology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 755 - 760
• Main Authors: RAO, C, BUI, T, CONNELLY, M, DOYLE, G, KARYDIS, I, MIDDLETON, M. R, CLACK, G, MALONE, M, COUMANS, F. A. W, TERSTAPPEN, L. W. M. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Athens Editorial Academy of the International Journal of Oncology 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cell Count - methods; Cell Proliferation; Dermatology; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Melanoma - blood; Melanoma - diagnosis; Melanoma - mortality; Melanoma - pathology; Melanoma-Specific Antigens - analysis; Melanoma-Specific Antigens - metabolism; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating - pathology; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Skin Neoplasms - blood; Skin Neoplasms - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - mortality; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Survival Analysis; Tumors; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Cancerology; Cell survival; Malignant melanoma; Minimal residual disease; Advanced stage; melanoma; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; circulating tumor cells; Tumor cell; Cancer
• ISSN: 1019-6439; 1791-2423
• DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2011.896

A validated assay for the enumeration of circulating melanoma cells (CMCs) may facilitate the development of more effective therapies for metastatic melanoma patients. In this study CD146+ cells were immunomagnetically enriched from 7.5 ml of blood. Isolated cells were fluorescently stained with DAPI, anti-molecular weight melanoma-associated antigen (HMW-MAA), anti-CD45 and CD34 and Ki67. CMCs were identified as CD146+, HMW-MAA+, CD45-, CD34-, Ki67-/+ cells. Eighty-eight percent of spiked SK-MEL28 cells in 7.5 ml blood were recovered. In all 55 healthy donors ≤1 CMCs were detected in 7.5 ml of blood. A retrospective analysis was conducted comparing CMC counts and overall survival in 79 blood samples from 44 melanoma patients. CMCs ranged from 0 to 8,042 per 7.5 ml. Two or more CMCs were detected in 18 (23%) of the patients and 30-100% (mean 84%) of the CMCs expressed the proliferation marker Ki67. Patients with ≥2 CMCs per 7.5 ml of whole blood, as compared with the group with <2 CMCs, had a shorter overall survival (2.0 months vs. 12.1 months, P=0.001).