ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2002 February;137(1):9-14

Copyright © 2002 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

The CD95-ligand molecule detectable in the serum of melanoma patients is not related to Breslow index

Melzani G., Bugari G. *, Parrinello G. **, Leali C., Venturini M., Ruggeri G. *, Manganoni A. M., Albertini A. *, De Panfilis G. ***

Spedali Civili - Brescia Divisione di Dermatologia *Spedali Civili e Università degli Studi - Brescia III Servizio di Analisi Clinico-Cliniche **Università degli Studi - Brescia Dipartimento di Statistica ***Università degli Studi - Parma Clinica Dermatologica

Background. Melanoma cells express on the plasma membrane the CD95-ligand (Fas-L) molecule, and Fas-L expression by melanoma cells increases when Breslow index increases. The Fas-L molecule, moreover, may be cleaved from the cell membrane, thus becoming “soluble” (sFas-L): as a matter of fact, patients bearing some Fas-L-expressing tumours bear high serum levels of sFas-L as well. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of the sFas-L molecule in the serum of melanoma patients, with the purpose to compare it with the Breslow index.
Methods. A total of 114 patients with melanoma were examined, at the Dermatology Department of the Brescia University Hospital, with regard to sFas-L detection. According to the Breslow index, 14 cases were melanoma in situ, 73 cases were from <0.75 to >4 mm thick, 7 cases were not valuable; 25 healthy donors were chosen as controls. Serum specimens were analysed using a “sandwich” ELISA technique (Medical & Biological Laboratories Co.). A statistical comparison (Student’s “t” test) was carried out of sFas-L values among melanoma patients bearing different Breslow thickness.
Results. Different Breslow thickness was not related to different sFas-L values. Comparing, in fact, percentage of positivity, range and median of each group, a significative progression was not observed.
Conclusions. Although the above mentioned rationale of the study was promising, the present results demonstrate that the sFas-L molecule is not linked to Breslow index as a possible progression index in melanoma patients.