engleski

Prognostic value of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor as a marker for the detection of circulating melanoma cells in patients with melanoma

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) was investigated in this study as a marker for the detection of circulating melanoma cells by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).The aim of the study was to determine the prognostic value of MITF in patients with melanoma. Peripheral blood samples from 201 melanoma patients in all stages of the disease were analyzed by RT-PCR for the expression of MITF. A blood sample for analysis was obtained from each patient at the time of inclusion in the study. MITF mRNA was detected in blood samples from 32 (15.9%) out of 201 melanoma patients. Median follow-up for patients was 53 months (range 3-84 months). Both progression-free survival (p=0.005, log-rank test) and overall survival (p=0.042, log-rank test) were significantly shorter in patients positive for MITF in comparison to patients negative for MITF. In a multivariate regression analysis the value of MITF was an independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio=2.54 ; 95% CI, 1.06-6.13 ; p=0.038) together with AJCC stage of the disease, while the AJCC stage of the disease was the only independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Our results suggest that analysis MITF as a marker for the detection of circulating melanoma cells has a prognostic value in patients with melanoma.

melanoma; microphthalmia-associated transcription factor; circulating tumor cells; reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

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