Method of Distinguishing Epithelioid Melanoma from Fibroblastoid Melanoma
Description of Invention:
The incidence of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma is increasing such that, at the beginning of this century, the lifetime risk for developing melanoma approached one in 75 in the United States. In addition, the death rate from melanoma has doubled over the last 50 years.
Melanoma in humans can have epithelioid or fibroblastoid morphology. The fibroblastoid morphology has been associated with resistance to treatment and escape mechanisms. Therefore, there is a need for a method of distinguishing epithelioid and fibroblastoid melanoma. The ability to distinguish epithelioid and fibroblastoid melanoma would be useful in diagnosis and determining treatment protocols. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a method.
The present invention provides a method of distinguishing epithelioid melanoma from fibroblastoid melanoma. The method comprises assaying a sample of melanoma cells for retinyl ester synthesis. Retinyl ester synthesis is indicative of the melanoma cells being epithelioid, whereas the absence of retinyl ester synthesis is indicative of the melanoma cells being fibroblastoid.
Inventors:
Denise Simmons (NCI)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-233-2002 filed 31 Oct 2002
Relevant Publication:
This research is described, in part, in Simmons et al., Carcinogenesis, Vol. 23 No. 11, pp 1821-1830, November 2002.
Portfolios: Cancer
Cancer -Diagnostics
For Additional Information Please Contact: Mojdeh Bahar J.D.
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