Circulating Melanoma Cells and Survival in Metastatic Melanoma

C. Rao, T. Bui, M. Connelly, G.V. Doyle, I. Karydis, M.R. Middleton, G. Clack, M. Malone, F.A.W. Coumans, L.W.M.M. Terstappen

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Abstract

A validated assay for the enumeration of circulating melanoma cells (CMCs) may facilitate the development of more effective therapies for metastatic melanoma patients. In this study CD146+ cells were immunomagnetically enriched from 7.5 ml of blood. Isolated cells were fluorescently stained with DAPI, anti-molecular weight melanoma-associated antigen (HMW-MAA), anti-CD45 and CD34 and Ki67. CMCs were identified as CD146+, HMW-MAA+, CD45-, CD34-, Ki67-/+ cells. Eighty-eight percent of spiked SK-MEL28 cells in 7.5 ml blood were recovered. In all 55 healthy donors ≤1 CMCs were detected in 7.5 ml of blood. A retrospective analysis was conducted comparing CMC counts and overall survival in 79 blood samples from 44 melanoma patients. CMCs ranged from 0 to 8,042 per 7.5 ml. Two or more CMCs were detected in 18 (23%) of the patients and 30-100% (mean 84%) of the CMCs expressed the proliferation marker Ki67. Patients with ≥2 CMCs per 7.5 ml of whole blood, as compared with the group with <2 CMCs, had a shorter overall survival (2.0 months vs. 12.1 months, P=0.001).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)755-760
JournalInternational journal of oncology
Volume38
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Keywords

  • METIS-275551

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