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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Immunohistochemical study of melanocytic differentiation antigens in cutaneous malignant melanoma. A comparison of six commercial antibodies and one non-commercial antibody in nodular melanoma, superficially spreading melanoma and lentigo maligna melanoma.

In certain primary and metastatic malignant melanomas diagnostic problems may arise due to their cytologic features and/or absence of synthesis of melanin. As the "classic" combination of S-100 protein and HMB-45 may occasionally fail to stain cells of malignant melanoma, we have tested a series of commercially accessible antibodies which were so far not compared by other authors in the three most frequent subtypes of this tumor. In surgical specimens from 104 cutaneous malignant melanomas (40 nodular melanomas, 46 superficially spreading malignant melanomas and 18 lentigo maligna melanomas) the staining intensity and the proportion of neoplastic cells stained with antibodies to S-100 protein, HMB-45, NKI/C3, NKI/beteb, MART 1 (Melan A), KBA 62 and Mitf was semiquantitatively analysed. The use of this group of antibodies against melanoma-associated antigens revealed it to be a favourable supplement for the bioptical or cytological diagnosis of malignant melanoma in case the traditional/conventional combination of S-100 protein and HMB-45 antibody fails. According to the authors' experience the antibody against KBA 62 has shown to be the most effective antibody followed by the antibodies against MART-1 (Melan A) and NKI/C3.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1975

Tyrosinase activity in three types of the malignant melanoma: superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma and nodular melanoma.

Quantitative differences in the tyrosinase activity are found at the three types of malignant melanoma of Clark and Mihm by the combined 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-premelanin-reaction. Only a very small activity is present in the junction nevus. In the superficial spreading melanoma the tyrosinase activity is clear, but limited. The lentigo maligna melanoma shows an increased pigmentation. The topmost activity after incubation however is present in the nodular melanoma.

Catechol Oxidase↗

PubMed2002

Radiosurgery for residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.

OBJECT: Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas comprise approximately 30% of all pituitary tumors. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and role of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in the management of residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. METHODS: A review was conducted of the data obtained in 42 patients who underwent adjuvant GKS at the University of Pittsburgh between 1987 and 2001. Prior treatments included transsphenoidal resection, craniotomy and resection, or conventional radiotherapy. Endocrinological, ophthalmological, and radiological responses were evaluated. The duration of follow-up review varied from 6 to 102 months (mean 31.2 months). Fifteen patients were observed for more than 40 months. The mean radiation dose to the tumor margin was 16 Gy. Conformal radiosurgery planning was used to restrict the dose to the optic nerve and chiasm. Tumor control after GKS was achieved in 100% of patients with microadenomas and 97% of patients with macroadenomas. Gamma knife radiosurgery was equally effective in controlling adenomas with cavernous sinus invasion and suprasellar extension. No patient developed a new endocrinological deficiency following GKS. One patient's tumor enlarged with an associated decline in visual function. Another patient experienced a deterioration of visual fields despite a decrease in tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma knife radiosurgery can achieve tumor control in virtually all residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Dose sparing facilitates tumor management even when the adenoma is close to the optic apparatus or invades the cavernous sinus.

Adenoma↗

PubMed1996

Comparison between lentigo maligna melanoma and other histogenetic types of malignant melanoma of the head and neck. Scottish Melanoma Group.

A study of 953 invasive cutaneous malignant melanomas of the head and neck was performed to determine differences between lentigo maligna melanoma and other histogenetic types with regard to patients and sites affected; prognosis was analysed in 595 of these cases. The cases studied comprised all head and neck melanomas registered with the Scottish Melanoma Group between 1979 and 1992, apart from the 3% of cases that were unclassifiable or rare histogenetic types. The histogenetic types of melanoma were 498 (52%) lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), 237 (25%) superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) and 218 (23%) nodular melanoma (NM). All types increased in incidence throughout the study period. Patients with LMM (mean age 73 years) and NM (mean 68 years) were significantly older than those with SSM (mean 57 years). There were significant anatomical subsite differences related to sex of patients and histogenetic type of melanoma; melanomas on the face were more frequent in females and 90% of LMM occurred at this site, whereas melanomas on the scalp, neck and ears were more frequent in men. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the probability of survival were produced for the 595 of these 953 patients with 5 year follow-up details. In this group of patients the prognostic significance of tumour thickness, Clark level of invasion, ulceration, histogenetic type of melanoma and number of mitoses were studied using stepwise variable selection of procedures. Each of these possible prognostic factors attained individual significance but the tumour thickness was the dominant risk factor in the proportional hazards analysis. When patients were divided into four sex/ulceration subgroups (male/ulcerated, female/ulcerated, male/non-ulcerated, female/non-ulcerated) and analysed by proportional hazards analysis, no variable other than the tumour thickness had any further prognostic effect. Histogenetic type did not remain an independent prognostic variable at this stage. Despite sex and subsite differences, the prognosis for invasive lentigo maligna melanoma does not differ from that for other histogenetic types after controlling for tumour thickness.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Are all melanomas the same? Spitzoid melanoma is a distinct subtype of melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Although the majority of melanomas demonstrate high rates of mutations in B-RAF or N-RAS that result in constitutive activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase-signaling pathway, emerging data suggest molecular differences among melanoma subtypes. In this study, the authors evaluated the contribution of B-RAF and N-RAS mutations to the pathogenesis of Spitzoid melanomas. METHODS: In total, 33 Spitzoid melanomas were analyzed for clinical and pathologic characteristics as well as for hot-spot mutations in the B-RAF and N-RAS genes. In the majority of patients (28 of 33 melanomas), the tumors were confined to the skin with no evidence of metastasis (average follow-up, 32.5 mos). There were five metastasizing melanomas (5 of 33 tumors) with regional or systemic spread. RESULTS: Of 33 Spitzoid melanomas, only 1 showed the V600E mutation in the B-RAF gene (1 of 33 tumors; 3%). It was noteworthy that none of the metastatic Spitzoid melanomas (0 of 5 tumors; 0%), of which 2 resulted in fatal outcomes, demonstrated mutations in B-RAF or N-RAS. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the majority of cutaneous melanomas, activating hot-spot mutations in B-RAF or N-RAS were not involved in the pathogenesis of Spitzoid melanoma. These data suggested that Spitzoid melanoma is a distinct form of melanoma with unknown genes and/or signaling pathways involved in its development.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Melanoma inhibitor of apoptosis protein is expressed differentially in melanoma and melanocytic naevus, but similarly in primary and metastatic melanomas.

BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma is highly resistant to current treatments. The inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family member, melanoma IAP (ML-IAP), is overexpressed in some melanoma cell lines, rendering them resistant to apoptotic signals. Targeting ML-IAP is a promising approach to treating melanoma. However, the status of ML-IAP expression in human melanoma tissues and the difference in expression between melanoma and melanocytic naevus are not known. AIMS: To investigate these issues. METHODS: ML-IAP expression in 48 archived patient samples (34 melanomas and 14 dermal naevi) was assessed by immunohistochemistry and by in situ hybridisation and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays developed for the study. RESULTS: Expression of ML-IAP was detected in 47.6-70.6% (10 of 21 to 24 of 34) of the melanomas, varying with detection methods. The expression rate in melanoma was much higher than that in melanocytic naevus (10.0-21.4%; one of 10 to three of 14). No significant difference was seen between primary and secondary melanomas. ML-IAP expression rates assessed by the three methods were in agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The ML-IAP expression rate in archived melanoma tissues is around 50-70%, with no difference between primary and secondary melanomas. A small number of dermal naevi ( approximately 20%) also expressed ML-IAP.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Negative association of melanoma differentiation-associated gene (mda-7) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human melanoma: MDA-7 regulates iNOS expression in melanoma cells.

The melanoma differentiation association gene-7 (mda-7) is a novel tumor suppressor gene of which the protein expression decreases to nearly undetectable levels in metastatic melanoma. In contrast, expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is increased in advanced stages of melanoma, and iNOS expression has been proposed as a potential prognostic marker in this disease. Thus, expression of these molecules in the same tumor appears to exhibit reciprocal characteristics. We hypothesize that the relative ratios of these melanoma progression molecules may define either tumor progression or tumor suppression in human melanoma. The first goal of this study was to determine whether MDA-7 expression in melanoma negatively correlates with iNOS expression. The second goal was to determine whether iNOS expression could be regulated by MDA-7 expression in melanoma cells. Expression of MDA-7 and iNOS proteins were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a total of 81 tumor samples: 38 primary melanomas and 43 metastatic melanomas. Evaluation of these melanoma patient samples showed that expression of MDA-7 and iNOS exhibits a significant negative correlation (P = 0.03). In vitro studies revealed that iNOS expression in melanoma cell lines is lost in a dose-dependent fashion after treatment with an adenoviral vector encoding the mda-7 gene (Ad-mda7) or with rhMDA-7 protein, demonstrating that MDA-7 down-regulates iNOS expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the STAT-3-modulated expression of IFN regulatory factors 1 and 2 is regulated by MDA-7, which may alter iNOS gene expression. These studies demonstrate that expression of the MDA-7 tumor suppressor can negatively regulate iNOS expression in malignant melanoma cell lines.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

PubMed1982

Serological response of melanoma patients receiving melanoma cell vaccines. I. Autologous cultured melanoma cells.

Our past studies have defined Class 1 (unique), Class 2 (shared) and Class 3 (widely distributed) melanoma cell surface antigens by serological typing with autologous antibody. These definitions provide the basis for determining the immunogenicity of a series of melanoma vaccines in patients with malignant melanoma. The first vaccine we tested in this way was prepared from autologous melanoma cell lines, and the results of our trial are the basis of this report. Thirteen patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were vaccinated with irradiated, cultured autologous melanoma cells mixed with BCG in an attempt to induce a serological response to Class 1 or 2 melanoma antigens. Antibodies were measured by protein A (PA), mixed hemadsorption (MHA), immune adherence (IA), C3-mixed hemadsorption (C3-MHA) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) assays. The specificity of observed reactions was defined by absorption analysis. Eight patients showed an increase in the titer of antibodies to autologous melanoma cell surface antigens after vaccination. In two of these patients, the antibodies had specificity for shared melanoma antigens. In six patients, the antibodies were directed solely against antigens related to the fetal calf serum (FCS) used in growing cells for serological testing and vaccine preparation. We conclude that unmodified autologous cultured melanoma cells, administered as they were in this trial, induce a serological response to melanoma cell surface antigens only in exceptional cases.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Detection of melanoma cells in the blood of melanoma patients by melanoma-inhibitory activity (MIA) reverse transcription-PCR.

The detection of tumor-specific mRNA transcripts in the blood of patients by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR has been used as a very sensitive technique for determining systemically disseminated tumor cells. On the basis of previous expression studies, we aimed to trace melanoma cells in the blood of melanoma patients by RT-PCR of melanoma-inhibitory activity (MIA) mRNA. To detect sensitively MIA transcripts in total RNA isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we established a sensitive PCR-ELISA system. With this assay, we detected one melanoma cell in 2 ml of blood by a single round of 32 PCR cycles. A total of 295 PBMC samples isolated from 166 patients with melanocytic tumors were tested with the MIA RT-PCR-ELISA: (a) 58 patients (99 samples) with malignant melanomas in stage I; (b) 49 patients (65 samples) with malignant melanomas in stage II; and (c) 47 patients (116 samples) with metastasized melanomas (stages III and IV), with an additional 12 patients (15 samples) with benign melanocytic nevi. Forty-four (26.8%) of 164 samples isolated from patients with melanomas in stages I and II were positive for MIA mRNA; in stages III/IV, 33 (28.4%) of 116 samples of patients, irrespective of clinically evident disease, were positive. Eleven (84.6%) of 13 PBMC samples from patients with metastasized melanoma and clinically evident disease without treatment were MIA mRNA-positive in contrast to only 19 (25.7%) of 74 samples isolated from patients in stage IV with metastasis during chemotherapy. Furthermore, none of the 16 PBMC samples of patients in stage IV without clinically detectable metastases at that time point during chemotherapy was MIA mRNA-positive. Interestingly, of the 44 positive samples (26.8%) isolated from patients with melanomas in stages I and II, 20 were still positive when retested after complete excision of the tumor. Our results reveal that amplification of MIA mRNA from the PBMCs of patients with malignant melanomas by PCR-ELISA provides a useful means to detect tumor cells in the systemic blood circulation. A correlation between positive blood samples and tumor burden in stages III and IV was detected, and, in addition, a significant effect of chemotherapy with respect to the reduction of the number of systemically spread tumor cells was observed. However, MIA amplification seems to be of little value as a surrogate marker for clinical staging or the detection of metastatic disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Glycogen-rich malignant melanomas and glycogen-rich balloon cell malignant melanomas: frequency and pattern of PAS positivity in primary and metastatic melanomas.

OBJECTIVE: After identifying a metastatic glycogen-rich balloon cell malignant melanoma, originally thought to be a benign clear cell tumor of the lung, we investigated the extent of positive reactions, or "positivity," of malignant melanoma to periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. METHODS: Frequency, intensity, and distribution of PAS positivity was studied in 61 excisional biopsy specimens from 58 patients with malignant melanoma. For comparison, 17 benign nevi from 10 patients were examined. RESULTS: Positivity for PAS was seen in all cases. All malignant melanomas and benign nevi were characterized by weak, diffuse, diastase-resistant PAS positivity. Additionally, focal or diffuse, strong diastase-sensitive PAS positivity was observed in 9 of 61 melanomas (15%); 7 were metastatic and 2 were primary invasive melanomas. Strong diastase-sensitive PAS positivity was seen in all lesions with 30% or more balloon cell features and only in advanced primary or metastatic lesions. The presence of glycogen was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous malignant melanomas have weak, diastase-resistant PAS positivity. Strong diastase-sensitive PAS positivity, consistent with the presence of intracytoplasmic glycogen, is seen in many primary and metastatic melanomas with balloon cell features. Depending on the content of the balloon cells, these melanomas are best categorized as either glycogen-rich malignant melanomas or glycogen-rich balloon cell malignant melanomas. Because many tumors with clear cell features contain glycogen, such content often is an unreliable differential feature.

Biopsy↗

PubMed2006

Pigment synthesizing melanoma (so-called animal type melanoma): a clinicopathological study of 14 cases of a poorly known distinctive variant of melanoma.

AIMS: Pigment synthesizing melanoma (so-called animal type melanoma) (PSM) is a rare histopathological variant of melanoma so termed because of prominent melanin production and its similarity to a variant of melanoma seen in grey horses. The aim of this study was to report the clinicopathological characteristics of 14 cases of animal type melanoma. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six patients were female and eight were male with ages ranging from 5 to 52 years (mean 31 years, median 39 years). The head and neck represented the most common site. The clinical diagnosis was of melanoma in seven cases, blue naevus in three cases, benign naevus in three cases and a pigmented basal cell carcinoma in one case. The histological diagnosis of PSM was predicated on the basis of an asymmetrical, predominantly intradermal tumour formed of deeply pigmented, round or short, spindle-shaped dendritic melanocytes with some degree of hyperchromatism and a single nucleolus. Cytological atypia was always present but was not pronounced. A prominent population of macrophages was invariably present. Four tumours were compound and 10 tumours were predominantly intradermal. The mitotic count was usually low, ranging from 1 to 5 per 10 high-power fields (mean 2). Perineural and lymphovascular invasion was not seen. The Breslow thickness ranged from 1.1 to 7.5 mm (mean 3.3 mm). Follow-up was available in 13 patients. The median follow-up period was 5 years. Six patients had no recurrence, three had local recurrence in the form of satellite nodules adjacent to the scar, four had spread to the regional lymph nodes and one patient had distant metastases to the liver. There were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that PSM is a distinctive, possible low-grade variant of melanoma usually lacking the histological features predictive of aggressive behaviour seen in ordinary melanoma. It should be managed in the same way as other melanomas with wide local excision.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982

Absence of melanoma specificity in the reactivity of melanoma patients' sera with cultured allogeneic melanoma cell lines.

While patients with melanoma are known to produce antibodies against melanoma cells, the tumor specificity of these reactions has not been well documented. Using the sensitive mixed hemadsorption assay we have identified antibody against one or more of nine different cultured melanoma cell lines in only nine of 48 patients with melanoma. Reactivity against melanoma cell lines was seen only in females, 9/27 versus 0/21 males. The strongest melanoma reactivity was seen in sera which also contained lymphocytotoxic antibody. The reactivity was not melanoma specific because it could be removed by absorption either with pooled platelets, nonmelanoma tumor cells or in two cases, by both. We conclude that the occurrence of specific antimelanoma antibodies against common or shared surface melanoma associated antigens is an uncommon event in melanoma patients not receiving specific active immunotherapy. The clinical significance of the observed reactivity and whether it is directed against cancer associated determinants, fetal antigens, or normal tissue or histocompatibility antigens requires further study.

Antibodies, Neoplasm↗

PubMed2004

Number of acquired melanocytic nevi in patients with melanoma and control subjects in Japan: Nevus count is a significant risk factor for nonacral melanoma but not for acral melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have suggested that number of acquired melanocytic nevi is a risk factor for melanoma development in Japanese as it is in white populations. However, there are only a few population-based studies on acquired nevi in Asian populations, and no epidemiologic study on relationship between number of acquired nevi and melanoma in Japanese populations has been reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess number, size, and distribution of acquired melanocytic nevi in a Japanese population. Particular attention was paid to evaluation of relationship between number of acquired nevi and development of nonacral or acral malignant melanoma. METHODS: In all, 82 patients with malignant melanoma and 600 control subjects were included in this study. All participants were Japanese. The number of acquired melanocytic nevi, 2 mm or larger in diameter, on the whole body except the scalp and genital areas was counted by experienced dermatologists. The participants were divided into 5 age categories (0-19, 20-39, 40-59, 60-79, and >80 years old) for the statistical analyses. This categorization adjusted the age and sex distribution between patients with melanomas and control subjects in 40- to 59-, 60- to 79-, and over 80-year-old groups. RESULTS: In the control Japanese population, the number of acquired melanocytic nevi on the whole body increased with age in 0- to 19-year-old age group and reached the highest number, 6.7 +/- 8.1/person, in 20- to 39-year-old group. In patients with nonacral melanoma, the number of acquired nevi on the whole body in 40- to 59- and 60- to 79-year-old groups was significantly higher than that of the corresponding control group. In contrast, the rate of individuals who had acquired nevi on soles, palms, and nail apparatus was not significantly different between acral melanoma group and the control group in 40- to 59- and 60- to 79-year-old groups. CONCLUSION: This study has revealed that a large number of acquired melanocytic nevi is a risk factor for the development of nonacral melanoma in Japanese and white populations. However, acquired nevi on soles, palms, and nail apparatus do not seem to be a risk factor for acral melanoma in Japanese populations.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clusterin (CLU) and melanoma growth: CLU is expressed in malignant melanoma and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 modulates expression of CLU in melanoma cell lines in vitro.

BACKGROUND: The glycoprotein clusterin (CLU) has two known isoforms generated in human cells. A nuclear form of CLU protein (nCLU) is pro-apoptotic, while a secretory form (sCLU) is pro-survival. CLU expression has been associated with tumorigenesis and the progression of various malignancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of CLU was studied immunohistochemically in paraffin sections of primary cutaneous malignant melanomas, metastases of malignant melanomas and acquired melanocytic naevi. Using PCR and Western blotting, the expression of CLU was also investigated in various vitamin D-responsive (MeWo, SK-MEL-28) and vitamin D-resistant melanoma cell lines (SK-MEL-5, SK-MEL-25), as well as in normal human melanocytes (NHM), along with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] treatment. RESULTS: In contrast to acquired melanocytic naevi, CLU immunoreactivity was found in primary cutaneous malignant melanomas and metastases of malignant melanomas in situ. Both CLU protein and RNA were detected in melanoma cell lines and NHM. Treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 modulated CLU's expression in vitamin D-responsive but not in -resistant melanoma cell lines. CONCLUSION: CLU may be of importance for the progression of malignant melanoma. The growth regulatory effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in melanoma cell lines may, at least in part, be mediated via modulation of CLU expression.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Reactivity of monoclonal anti-melanoma antibodies with melanoma cells freshly isolated from primary and metastatic melanoma.

Human melanoma cells, freshly obtained from nine primary and metastatic melanoma cases, were tested for binding of monoclonal anti-melanoma antibodies produced in vitro by hybridoma clones. Monoclonal anti-melanoma antibodies bind to melanoma cells but do not react with nonmalignant cells obtained from the same patients or with cells obtained from giant hairy nevus. These results confirm the existence of tumor-specific antigens. Binding of monoclonal antibodies to melanoma cells of several origins, primary or metastatic, from different patients suggests the existence of tumor antigens shared by human melanoma cells. The binding pattern of different antibodies to various cells also predicts the existence of more than one tumor-specific antigenic determinant on melanoma cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

CD95/Fas signaling in human melanoma cells: conditional expression of CD95L/FasL overcomes the intrinsic apoptosis resistance of malignant melanoma and inhibits growth and progression of human melanoma xenotransplants.

The significance of CD95/Fas ligand expression by melanoma cells has remained a controversial matter in recent years. On the other hand, CD95 activation may represent a powerful tool for eliminating tumor cells. Here, we demonstrate expression of CD95 in 15/17 human melanoma cell lines analysed, but complete lack of CD95 ligand (CD95L). Overexpression of CD95 in a tetracycline-inducible expression system enhanced melanoma cell sensitivity to CD95 ligation but was unable to trigger apoptosis by itself. In clear contrast, all melanoma cells tested responded with increased apoptosis to conditional expression of CD95L (2-10-fold), both after transient and after stable transfection. Activation of caspase-8, Bid cleavage, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation followed after CD95L induction indicating a functional CD95-signaling cascade. CD95L was also able to enhance the proapoptotic effect of chemotherapeutics applied in parallel. Nude mouse experiments revealed that tumorigenicity was lost when melanoma xenografts were triggered to express CD95L. In addition, further progression of pre-existing melanomas was inhibited and even regression was seen after induction of CD95L expression. Due to these data, transfection of CD95L proofs as a highly efficient tool against melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo, and targeted expression of CD95L may thus represent a suitable strategy for melanoma therapy.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

[Heterogeneity of palmo-plantar malignant melanomas--comparative analysis of acral lentiginous melanoma and nodular melanoma on palm or sole].

We analysed and discussed clinico-pathologically 16 cases of malignant melanoma and 4 cases of their precancerosis occurring on the palm or sole of Japanese patients. In contrast to previous reports from the US and Europe, which emphasize the almost exclusive preponderance of acral-lentiginous melanoma (ALM) on volar skin, our series consisted of eight cases each of acral-lentiginous and nodular melanoma. We investigated the clinical and cytopathological findings of 4 representative ALM and 2 representative nodular melanomas, as well as the detailed clinical behaviour of all 16 cases, including precancerosis. In every case of ALM, we have found the presence of a three-phase pattern, namely A-(nodule phase), B-(plaque phase), and C-(macule phase) phases, representing focal and progressive melanoma genesis both clinically and pathologically. A- and B-phases of ALM shared many common features with pagetoid melanoma and pagetoid premalignant melanosis frequently occurring on the trunk. It was also found that nodular melanoma on the palm or sole also possesses common features with that occurring on non-volar areas and exhibits the highest malignancy of all melanoma types. In addition, we discussed ALM precancerous lesions called plantar premalignant melanosis, which consist of B- and C-phases only.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Differential expression of melanoma associated antigens in acral lentiginous melanoma and in nodular melanoma lesions.

The reactivity in an avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase reaction with a large panel of anti-human melanoma associated antigen (MAA) and anti-HLA monoclonal antibodies of 24 primary and 11 metastatic acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) lesions was compared to that of 12 primary and 12 metastatic nodular melanoma (NM) lesions. The expression of the membrane bound vitronectin receptor, Mr 110,000 MAA, Mr 97,000 MAA, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was significantly lower in both primary and metastatic ALM lesions than in their NM counterparts. Furthermore, primary ALM lesions displayed a significantly lower expression than primary NM lesions of the membrane bound high molecular weight melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA), Mr 110,000 MAA, Mr 100,000 MAA, 9-O-acetyl-GD3, GD2-GD3, and GD2, of the cytoplasmic monoclonal antibody 465.12 defined MAA and of transferrin receptor and of HLA-DQ and DP antigens; ALM metastases expressed a significantly lower level of carcinoembryonic antigen-MAA than NM metastases. These antigenic differences do not reflect an antigenic paucity of ALM cells, since ALM lesions express a higher level of T4-tyrosinase than NM lesions and a level of HLA Class I antigens similar to that of NM lesions. In view of the use of HMW-MAA, Mr 97,000 MAA, and GD3 in immunoscintigraphy and/or in immunotherapy, it is noteworthy that the three antigens are expressed in a similar high percentage of ALM metastases and of primary and metastatic NM lesions, while the HMW-MAA is expressed in a markedly lower percentage of primary ALM lesions than Mr 97,000 MAA and GD3. However, the degree of heterogeneity of HMW-MAA within a positive primary ALM lesion, as measured by the percentage of stained melanoma cells, is lower than that of Mr 97,000 MAA and GD3. The expression of the antigens investigated in ALM and NM lesions was not correlated with the presence of lymphocyte infiltrates, melanin content of melanoma cells, and epithelioid and spindle type of melanoma cells in the lesions. On the other hand, the survival of patients with ALM was inversely correlated with the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 or HMW-MAA in their primary lesions. A potential role of HMW-MAA in the course of the disease is suggested by its significantly higher expression in metastatic than in primary ALM lesions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗