Prognostic value of BRAF mutations in localized cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND: BRAF mutations are frequent in melanoma but their prognostic significance remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to further evaluate the prognostic value of BRAF mutations in localized cutaneous melanoma. METHODS: We undertook an observational retrospective study of 147 patients with localized invasive (stages I and II) cutaneous melanomas to determine the prognostic value of BRAF mutation status. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 48 months, patients with localized melanomas with BRAF-mutant melanomas exhibited poorer disease-free survival than those with BRAF-wt genotype (hazard ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1-4.3) even after adjustment for Breslow thickness, tumor ulceration, location, age, sex, and tumor mitotic rate. LIMITATIONS: The retrospective design and the small number of events are limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that reappraisal of clinical treatment approaches for patients with localized melanoma harboring tumors with BRAF mutation might be warrante

Prevalence of BRAF and NRAS mutations in fast-growing melanomas (Letter to the Editor)

Dear Sir, About one-fourth of melanomas grow very quickly. The so-called fast-growing melanomas (FGMs) increase in thickness by 0.5 millimeters or more per month (Grob et al., 2002; Liu et al., 2006). FGMs are defined based on tumor growth rate (GR) which is calculated based on Breslow thickness and self-reported information from the patient about the time taken for the melanoma to develop (Grob et al., 2002; Martorell-Calatayud et al., 2011). FGMs have a worse prognosis and present mostly in elderly patients with fewer nevi and fewer freckles and at the trunk or acral sites (Liu et al., 2006; Martorell- Calatayud et al., 2011)

Locoregional Lymph Node Recurrence of Trunk Melanoma in Non-sentinel Lymph Node Basins: An Observational Retrospective Study.

Locoregional lymph node recurrences of primary trunk melanoma can occur in basins not identified during sentinel lymph node biopsy. However, the factors associated with recurrences in non-sentinel lymph node basins are unknown. To evaluate these factors, this observational retrospective study examined the patterns of first lymph node recurrence and the factors associated with recurrence in non-sentinel lymph node basins. A total of 305 patients with primary trunk melanoma who had undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy from 2000 to 2015 were evaluated. Twenty-three patients presented locoregional lymph node recurrence; 8 of which (34.8%) were in non-sentinel lymph node basins. Non-sentinel lymph node recurrences were more frequent in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes and in those patients whose number of tumour-involved nodes was > 3. These results suggest that clinical examination and ultrasound surveillance should be performed on all potential lymph node drainage basins of trunk melanomas

Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations in primary cutaneous melanoma.

We previously reported a disease segregating causal germline mutation in a melanoma family and recurrent somatic mutations in metastasized tumours from unrelated patients in the core promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene. Here we show that the TERT promoter mutations, besides causing an increased gene expression, associate with increased patient age, increased Breslow thickness and tumour ulceration in 287 primary melanomas. The mutations are more frequent at both intermittently and chronically sun-exposed sites than non-exposed sites and tend to co-occur with BRAF and CDKN2A alterations. The association with parameters generally connected with poor outcome, coupled with high recurrence and mechanistic relevance, raises the possibility of the eventual use of TERT promoter mutations in the disease management

TERT promoter mutations in melanoma survival.

Despite advances in targeted therapies, the treatment of advanced melanoma remains an exercise in disease management, hence a need for biomarkers for identification of at risk primary melanoma patients. In this study we aimed to assess the prognostic value of TERT promoter mutations in primary melanomas. DNA from 300 patients with stage I/II melanoma was sequenced for TERT promoter and BRAF/NRAS mutations. Cumulative curves were drawn for patients with and without mutations with progression free and melanoma specific survival as outcomes. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to determine the effect of the mutations on survivals. Individually, presence of TERT promoter and BRAF/NRAS mutations associated with poor disease free and melanoma specific survival with modification of the effect by the rs2853669 polymorphism within the TERT promoter. Hazard ratio (HR) for simultaneous occurrence of TERT promoter and BRAF/NRAS mutations for disease free survival was 2.25 (95%CI 1.2-4.4) and for melanoma specific survival 5.8 (95%CI 1.8-18.1). The effect of the mutations on melanoma-specific survival in non-carriers of variant allele of the polymorphism was significant (HR 4.4, 95%CI 1.3-14.9) but could not be calculated for the carriers due to low number of events. The variant allele per se showed association with increased survival (HR 0.4, 95%CI 0.1-0.9). The data in this study provides preliminary evidence that TERT promoter mutations in combination with BRAF/NRAS mutations can be used to identify patients at risk of aggressive disease and the possibility of refinement of the classification with inclusion of the rs2853669 polymorphism within TERT promoter. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Factors associated with sentinel lymph node status and prognostic role of completion lymph node dissection for thick melanoma.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is useful for the prognostic stratification of patients with thick melanoma. Identifying which variables are associated with SLN involvement and establishing risk in different subgroups of patients could be useful for guiding the indication of SLN biopsy. The value of complete lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients with a positive SLN biopsy is currently under debate. To identify factors associated with SLN involvement in thick melanoma we performed a multicentric retrospective cohort study involving 660 patients with thick melanoma who had undergone SLN biopsy. To analyze the role of CLND in thick melanoma patients with a positive SLN biopsy, we built a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model for melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) and compared 217 patients who had undergone CLND with 44 who had not. The logistic regression analysis showed that age, histologic subtype, ulceration, microscopic satellitosis, and lymphovascular invasion were associated with nodal disease. The CHAID (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection) decision tree showed ulceration to be the most important predictor of lymphatic involvement. For nonulcerated melanomas, the histologic subtype lentigo maligna melanoma was associated with a low rate of SLN involvement (4.3%). No significant differences were observed for DFS and MSS between the CLND performed and not-performed groups. Nodal status on CLND was associated with differences in DFS and MSS rates. We identified subgroups of thick melanoma patients with a low likelihood of SLN involvement. CLND does not offer survival benefit, but provides prognostic information

Distinct Clinicopathological and Prognostic Features of Thin Nodular Primary Melanomas: An International Study from 17 Centers

Background: Nodular melanoma (NM) is more likely to be fatal compared with other melanoma subtypes, an effect attributed to its greater Breslow thickness. Methods: Clinicopathological features of NM and superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) diagnosed in 17 centers in Europe (n = 15), the United States, and Australia between 2006 and 2015, were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression analysis, with emphasis on thin (T1 <= 1.0mm) melanomas. Cox analysis assessed melanoma-specific survival. All statistical tests were two sided. Results: In all, 20 132 melanomas (NM: 5062, SSM: 15 070) were included. Compared with T1 SSM, T1 NM was less likely to have regression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29 to 0.72) or nevus remnants histologically (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.42 to 0.85), and more likely to have mitoses (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.33 to 2.93) and regional metastasis (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.02 to 3.05). T1 NM had a higher mitotic rate than T1 SSM (adjusted geometric mean = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.9 to 2.5 vs 1.6, 95% CI = 1.5 to 1.7 per mm(2), P < .001). Cox multivariable analysis showed a higher risk for melanoma-specific death for NM compared with SSM for T1 (HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.24 to 3.56) and T2 melanomas (HR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.68), and after accounting for center heterogeneity, the difference was statistically significant only for T1 (HR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.28 to 3.78). The NM subtype did not confer increased risk within each stratum (among localized tumors or cases with regional metastasis). Conclusions: T1 NM (compared with T1 SSM) was associated with a constellation of aggressive characteristics that may confer a worse prognosis. Our results indicate NM is a high-risk melanoma subtype that should be considered for inclusion in future prognostic classifications of melanoma