Circulating Melanoma Cells as a Predictive Biomarker
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Circulating Melanoma Cells as a Predictive Biomarker

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  • Post
    • May 15, 2013 at 9:44 pm
    lou2
    Participant

      Commentary

      Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2013) 133, 1460–1462; doi:10.1038/jid.2013.34

      Commentary

      Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2013) 133, 1460–1462; doi:10.1038/jid.2013.34

      Circulating Melanoma Cells as a Predictive Biomarker

      Giorgos Karakousis1, Ruifeng Yang2 and Xiaowei Xu2

      1. 1Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
      2. 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

      Correspondence: Xiaowei Xu, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

      Abstract

      The prognosis of patients with metastatic melanoma has improved significantly with targeted therapeutic agents and immunotherapies. Detection of early melanoma recurrence after treatment will be beneficial to switch patients who fail on one therapy to different modalities. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells released by a tumor into the peripheral blood. These cells hold potential as prognostic, predictive, and pharmacodynamic biomarkers for treatment. In this issue, Khoja et al. report that melanoma CTCs can be detected using Melcam and high molecular weight melanoma–associated antibody. They found that in 101 stage IV melanoma patients, CTC numbers ranged between 0 and 36/7.5 ml blood; 26% of the patients had greater than or equal to2 CTCs at baseline. The CTC number (greater than or equal to2 CTCs) at baseline was significantly prognostic for median overall survival (OS) in univariate and multivariate analysis. Patients receiving treatment where CTC numbers remained greater than or equal to2 CTCs during their treatment had shorter median OS than those who maintained <2 CTCs (7 vs. 10 months, hazard ratio 0.34, 95% confidence interval 0.14–0.81, log-rank test P=0.015). The implications of this work are substantial in counseling patients about their prognosis and in helping to assess responses to systemic therapies.

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    • Replies
        • May 15, 2013 at 10:13 pm
        JC
        Participant

          So is this a blood test that someone at Stage I can do annually to ensure there has been no spread?

          • May 15, 2013 at 10:13 pm
          JC
          Participant

            So is this a blood test that someone at Stage I can do annually to ensure there has been no spread?

              • May 15, 2013 at 10:29 pm
              lou2
              Participant

                Well, that is not what they are saying, but it is a good question to ask because it extrapolates on this work.

                • May 15, 2013 at 10:29 pm
                lou2
                Participant

                  Well, that is not what they are saying, but it is a good question to ask because it extrapolates on this work.

                  • May 16, 2013 at 2:29 am
                  lou2
                  Participant

                    Author answers this question:

                    "The prognostic value of circulating melanoma cells in early stage patients is unclear. There is no test can be done currently. "

                    • May 16, 2013 at 2:29 am
                    lou2
                    Participant

                      Author answers this question:

                      "The prognostic value of circulating melanoma cells in early stage patients is unclear. There is no test can be done currently. "

                      • May 16, 2013 at 2:29 am
                      lou2
                      Participant

                        Author answers this question:

                        "The prognostic value of circulating melanoma cells in early stage patients is unclear. There is no test can be done currently. "

                        • May 15, 2013 at 10:29 pm
                        lou2
                        Participant

                          Well, that is not what they are saying, but it is a good question to ask because it extrapolates on this work.

                        • May 15, 2013 at 10:13 pm
                        JC
                        Participant

                          So is this a blood test that someone at Stage I can do annually to ensure there has been no spread?

                          • May 21, 2013 at 3:37 pm
                          JC
                          Participant

                            I would not recommend it for a number of reasons:

                            1.)  it remains only available at a research level
                            2.) Even if Im wrong about # 1, issues are that EVEN is stage 4 tumors, only 0-36 cells were found in 7.5mL–with microscopic relapse that number is close to zero
                            3.) Many studies on earlier stage –esp stage 3–done in the past, found very little correlation to Relapse (the presence did not reassure relapse–the absence did not reassure non-relapse)
                            4.) if you find it, what do you do with the information–they wouldn't give anybody interferon, ipilimumab, IL-2 etc based on this

                             

                            • May 21, 2013 at 3:37 pm
                            JC
                            Participant

                              I would not recommend it for a number of reasons:

                              1.)  it remains only available at a research level
                              2.) Even if Im wrong about # 1, issues are that EVEN is stage 4 tumors, only 0-36 cells were found in 7.5mL–with microscopic relapse that number is close to zero
                              3.) Many studies on earlier stage –esp stage 3–done in the past, found very little correlation to Relapse (the presence did not reassure relapse–the absence did not reassure non-relapse)
                              4.) if you find it, what do you do with the information–they wouldn't give anybody interferon, ipilimumab, IL-2 etc based on this

                               

                              • May 21, 2013 at 3:37 pm
                              JC
                              Participant

                                I would not recommend it for a number of reasons:

                                1.)  it remains only available at a research level
                                2.) Even if Im wrong about # 1, issues are that EVEN is stage 4 tumors, only 0-36 cells were found in 7.5mL–with microscopic relapse that number is close to zero
                                3.) Many studies on earlier stage –esp stage 3–done in the past, found very little correlation to Relapse (the presence did not reassure relapse–the absence did not reassure non-relapse)
                                4.) if you find it, what do you do with the information–they wouldn't give anybody interferon, ipilimumab, IL-2 etc based on this

                                 

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