Trends in hepatocyte growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and leptin expression levels in uveal melanoma patient serum and tumor tissues: correlation to disease progression.

This exploratory study was carried out to determine the expression levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor 1, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and leptin in serum and tumor samples from patients with uveal melanoma and to investigate the potential association of these expression levels with disease progression and patient survival. Seventeen patients, including nine nonmetastatic and eight metastatic, were included in the study. Eighteen healthy individuals served as controls. The levels of these four proteins in serum and tissue samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Associations between protein levels and survival, disease progression, and other clinicopathological factors were analyzed statistically. Serum levels of HGF were significantly higher and TSH levels were lower in uveal melanoma patients than in healthy individuals, but the level of neither protein differed significantly between metastatic and nonmetastatic groups. Of the four proteins tested, only serum TSH was significantly associated with patient survival. No correlation was observed between the tissue and serum levels of each protein. The levels of HGF in serum may be markers of uveal melanoma development. The prognostic and predictive values of these potential markers need to be determined in a larger cohort.

[Detection of circulating malignant cells in patients with uveal melanoma]. / Pesquisa de células malignas circulantes em pacientes com melanoma maligno de coróide.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to detect circulating malignant cells (CMCs) in oversea-shipped blood samples of patients with uveal melanoma diagnosed in Brazil. METHODOS: Melan-A and tyrosinase were the two markers used for the detection of CMCs, using reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested-PCR) in 6 patients with uveal melanoma. The expression of beta-actin and GAPDH were used to assess the quality of the material. RESULTS: Five patients (83.33%) tested positive for the presence of CMCs. The RT-nested-PCR was positive for melan-A in 4 patients (66.7%) and positive for tyrosinase in 4 (66.7%) of the 6 patients. Three (50%) patients were positive for both markers. One (16.7%) patient was negative for both markers. All negative controls were negative. CONCLUSION: The quality of the blood samples shipped overseas, from patients with uveal melanoma, was preserved. The detection of CMCs using RT-nested-PCR was positive in the majority of the patients.

Pesquisa de células malignas circulantes em pacientes com melanoma maligno de coróide / Detection of circulating malignant cells in patients with uveal melanoma

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a possibilidade de identificação de células malignas circulantes nas amostras de sangue periférico de pacientes brasileiros com melanoma maligno de coróide enviadas para análise no exterior. MÉTODOS: Os marcadores melan-A e tirosinase foram usados para detectar a presença de células malignas circulantes, pela transcrição reversa seguida de reação em cadeia da polimerase e análise seqüencial de DNA (RT-nested-PCR), em seis pacientes com melanoma maligno de coróide, diagnosticados no Brasil. RESULTADOS: Cinco pacientes deste grupo (83,33 por cento) foram considerados positivos. A reação de RT-nested-PCR foi positiva para melan-A em quatro (66,7 por cento) e positiva para tirosinase em quatro (66,7 por cento) dos seis pacientes testados. Três (50 por cento) pacientes foram positivos para os dois marcadores. Um (16,7 por cento) paciente foi negativo para ambos marcadores. CONCLUSÃO: A pesquisa de células malignas circulantes usando RT-nested-PCR, foi positiva na maioria dos pacientes estudados. A qualidade das amostras de sangue periférico dos pacientes brasileiros foi mantida no material preservado mesmo após ter sido enviado ao exterior.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to detect circulating malignant cells (CMCs) in oversea-shipped blood samples of patients with uveal melanoma diagnosed in Brazil. METHODOS: Melan-A and tyrosinase were the two markers used for the detection of CMCs, using reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested-PCR) in 6 patients with uveal melanoma. The expression of beta-actin and GAPDH were used to assess the quality of the material. RESULTS: Five patients (83.33 percent) tested positive for the presence of CMCs. The RT-nested-PCR was positive for melan-A in 4 patients (66.7 percent) and positive for tyrosinase in 4 (66.7 percent) of the 6 patients. Three (50 percent) patients were positive for both markers. One (16.7 percent) patient was negative for both markers. All negative controls were negative. CONCLUSION: The quality of the blood samples shipped overseas, from patients with uveal melanoma, was preserved. The detection of CMCs using RT-nested-PCR was positive in the majority of the patients.