Multimarker Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay in Lymphatic Drainage and Sentinel Node Tumor Burden

Purpose: We assessed molecular (presence of melanoma cells markers in lymph fluid [LY]) and pathological features (sentinel lymph node [SN] tumor burden according to Rotterdam criteria, metastases microanatomic location) and correlated them with survival and melanoma prognostic factors in a group of patients with positive SN biopsy. Methods: We analyzed 368 consecutive SN-positive patients after completion lymph node dissection (CLND). In 321 patients we obtained data on SLN microanatomic location/tumor burden (only 7 cases had metastases <0.1 mm); in 137 we additionally analyzed 24-hour collected LY after CLND (multimarker reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [MM-RT-PCR] with primers for tyrosinase, MART1 (MelanA), and uMAGE mRNA (27.7% positive samples)]. Median follow-up time was 41 months. Results: According to univariate analysis, the following factors had a negative impact on overall survival (OS): higher Bresl

Multimarker Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay in Lymphatic Drainage and Sentinel Node Tumor Burden

Purpose: We assessed molecular (presence of melanoma cells markers in lymph fluid [LY]) and pathological features (sentinel lymph node [SN] tumor burden according to Rotterdam criteria, metastases microanatomic location) and correlated them with survival and melanoma prognostic factors in a group of patients with positive SN biopsy. Methods: We analyzed 368 consecutive SN-positive patients after completion lymph node dissection (CLND). In 321 patients we obtained data on SLN microanatomic location/tumor burden (only 7 cases had metastases <0.1 mm); in 137 we additionally analyzed 24-hour collected LY after CLND (multimarker reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [MM-RT-PCR] with primers for tyrosinase, MART1 (MelanA), and uMAGE mRNA (27.7% positive samples)]. Median follow-up time was 41 months. Results: According to univariate analysis, the following factors had a negative impact on overall survival (OS): higher Bresl

Ophiuroids Discovered in the Middle Triassic Hypersaline Environment

Echinoderms have long been considered to be one of the animal phyla that is strictly marine. However, there is growing evidence that some recent species may live in either brackish or hypersaline environments. Surprisingly, discoveries of fossil echinoderms in non-(open)marine paleoenvironments are lacking. In Wojkowice Quarry (Southern Poland), sediments of lowermost part of the Middle Triassic are exposed. In limestone layer with cellular structures and pseudomorphs after gypsum, two dense accumulations of articulated ophiuroids (Aspiduriella similis (Eck)) were documented. The sediments with ophiuroids were formed in environment of increased salinity waters as suggested by paleontological, sedimentological, petrographical and geochemical data. Discovery of Triassic hypersaline ophiuroids invalidates the paleontological assumption that fossil echinoderms are indicators of fully marine conditions. Thus caution needs to be taken when using fossil echinoderms in paleoenvironmental reconstructions