Blood MUC-18/MCAM Expression in Patients with Melanoma: A Suitable Marker of Poor Outcome

    July 2013 in “ British Journal of Dermatology ”
    Maria Cristina Rapanotti, I. Ricozzi, Elena Campione, Augusto Orlandi, Luca Bianchi
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    TLDR High MUC-18/MCAM levels in blood indicate a worse outlook for melanoma patients.
    The study analyzed the expression of MUC-18/MCAM in the blood of melanoma patients to evaluate its potential as a marker for poor outcomes. Peripheral blood samples were collected and analyzed for five melanoma-associated markers using multimarker RT-PCR. The results showed that high levels of MUC-18/MCAM were significantly associated with advanced disease and poor treatment outcomes, particularly in stage IV melanoma patients. The authors concluded that MUC-18/MCAM expression in the blood could serve as a reliable indicator of poor prognosis in melanoma patients and suggested further research to enhance patient stratification and prognosis based on this marker.
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