Circulating melanoma cells predict relapse in stage III disease

Source: healio.com/hematology-oncology, December 2015

Circulating melanoma cells at baseline or at 6-month follow-up served as an indicator for relapse among patients with stage III melanoma, according to results of a prospective study.

“There is a need for more sensitive and specific prognostic markers for advanced-stage melanoma patients to help improve the risk–benefit ratio of systemic adjuvant therapies,” Anthony Lucci, MD, professor in the department of surgical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues wrote. “While it has been demonstrated that circulating melanoma cells can be detected in melanoma patients, there is limited data regarding the prognostic significance.”

Lucci and colleagues conducted serial circulating melanoma cells assessments (7.5 mL/blood) in 101 patients with stage III disease. CD146+ cells were immuno-magnetically enriched; CD146+, HMW-MAA+/, CD45-/ and CD34- nucleated cells were considered circulating melanoma cells.