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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jcp.2005.032144v1 jcp.2005.032144v2 60/6/596    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Monteagudo, C Articles by Llombart-Bosch, A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Monteagudo, C Articles by Llombart-Bosch, A Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Melanoma Skin Cancer

CXCR3 chemokine receptor immunoreactivity in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma: correlation with clinicopathological prognostic factors

¹ Department of Pathology, University of Valencia, Spain
² Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain

Correspondence to:
C Monteagudo
Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Avda Blasco Ibanez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Carlos.Monteagudo{at}uv.es Background: A role for CXCR3, the receptor for chemokines Mig, IP-10 and interferon-inducible T cell -chemoattractant, in tumour cell migration during melanoma progression has been proposed.

Aims: To analyse CXCR3 expression in primary cutaneous malignant melanomas and its comparison with clinicopathological and prognostic factors.

Methods: A retrospective immunohistochemical study was carried out on formalin-fixed paraffin-wax-embedded sections from 82 patients with primary invasive cutaneous melanomas, with a monoclonal antibody to CXCR3 (clone 49801.111; R&D Systems). Immunoreactivity was semiquantitatively evaluated: labelling intensity (0, absent; 1, weak; 2, moderate; 3, strong) multiplied by the percentage of cells in each of the four intensity categories. A positive staining was considered when the score was >100. Melanomas were categorised by age, sex, primary site, tumour thickness, growth phase, ulceration, lymphocytic infiltration, recurrence, lymph node and distant metastasis, and survival. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out.

Results: Of the 82 patients, a positive CXCR3 staining was found in 26 (31.7%) patients, whereas 56 (68.3%) were negative. In univariate analysis, a significant association of CXCR3-positive tumour cell immunostaining with tumour thickness >1 mm (p = 0.003), absence of lymphocytic infiltration (p = 0.04) and the presence of distant metastasis (p = 0.048) was found. Multivariate analysis found tumour thickness as the only independent factor with considerable association with distant metastases.

Conclusions: Our findings of a positive correlation of CXCR3 tumour cell immunoreactivity in human primary cutaneous melanoma with tumour thickness >1 mm and absence of intratumoral lymphocytic infiltration support the biological implication of CXCR3 in the tumour progression of cutaneous malignant melanoma.