Heterogenous S-100B protein expression patterns in malignant melanoma and association with serum protein levels.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Serum S-100B is a reliable tumor marker of malignant melanoma, but efficient use is restricted to patients with metastatic disease. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess serum S-100B levels at different stages of malignant melanoma and to compare these levels with the expression of the S-100B phenotype in primary tumors and lymph node metastases.

METHODS:

Fifty-nine patients were included in this study; serum S-100B protein was measured using an immunoluminometric assay while the expression pattern in the primary tumor was determined by immunohistochemistry using an anti-S-100B monoclonal antibody.

RESULTS:

Serum S-100B concentrations were significantly elevated in stage III (p = 0.01) patients, with normal levels in stage I-II. The most frequent S-100B protein expression pattern of the melanoma tissue was found to be diffuse staining observed in around half of the cases (52.5%) followed by heterogeneous (30.5%) and focal patterns (17%), being independent of the stage as well as the lymph node involvement. In stage I-II patients, the various staining patterns did not correlate with the serum concentration of the S-100B protein, while in stage III patients with heterogenous or diffuse S-100B staining patterns in tumor tissue, the serum marker concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in patients with focal staining. Furthermore, S-100B staining of the melanoma tissue also differed (low/negative, medium and strong staining), and serum marker concentrations corresponded to the pattern of the staining intensity. In stage I-II, only strong staining was associated with elevated serum S-100B concentrations while in stage III medium and strong staining was found to be associated with significantly higher serum marker concentrations compared to patients with tumors with low/negative staining (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

In malignant melanoma characterized by focal and/or low S-100B staining in the tumor tissue determined by immunohistochemistry, S-100B monitoring in the serum may not suffice to detect disease progression.

• Authors: T Bánfalvi, N Udvarhelyi, Z Orosz, M Gergye, K Gilde, J Tímár
• Journal: Oncology (Oncology) Vol. 64 Issue 4 Pg. 374-9 ( 2003) ISSN: 0030-2414 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 12759535 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Nerve Growth Factors
• S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit
• S100 Proteins

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Analysis of Variance
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Biomarkers, Tumor (analysis, blood, immunology)
• Disease Progression
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Luminescent Measurements
• Lymphatic Metastasis
• Male
• Melanoma (blood, metabolism, secondary)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Nerve Growth Factors
• Predictive Value of Tests
• S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit
• S100 Proteins (analysis, blood, immunology)
• Skin Neoplasms (blood, metabolism, pathology)