Affiliations: Biopathology and Medicine Regenerative Institute
(IBIMER), Granada, Spain | Department of Anatomy and Human Embriology Faculty of
Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain | Department of Health Sciences, University of
Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain | Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain
Abstract: Malignant melanoma (MM) prognosis has been related to tumour
thickness and clinical stage and metastasis risk has been associated with
presence of tumour cells in peripheral blood. The aim of this study was to
determine the relationship between presence of tyrosinase in peripheral blood
of MM patients and their clinical prognosis. Blood samples from 58 MM patients
(stage I–IV) were analysed, using RT-PCR assay to detect tyrosinase mRNA.
The results showed that positive RT-PCR assay for tyrosinase were significantly
associated with clinical status and tumour thickness. After a median follow-up
of 24 months, RT-PCR results were found to be significant correlated with
recurrence (p<0.05) and clinical stage III (p<0.05). Separate analysis of
stage III tumours to determine the prognostic value of tyrosinase presence in
peripheral blood showed an overall 24-month survival rate of 70% in the RT-PCR
negative group versus 10% in the positive group (p<0.02). These results
suggest that detection of circulating melanoma cells may be especially relevant
in stage III patients, in whom RT-PCR positivity defines a subpopulation at
high risk of recurrence.
