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The in vitro effect of a calf thymus extract (TP-1) on peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated in sixty-six melanoma patients. Twenty out of forty-five statue I and seventeen out of twenty-one stage IIb patients presented depressed T lymphocyte values. A statistically significant increase in E-rosette-forming cells (E-RFC) was observed in seventeen (85%) stage I and twelve (70.5%) stage II patients. In thirteen (65%) stage I and eight (47%) stage II patients E-RFC reached normal values. Our results indicate that the fall of T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of melanoma patients is often related to an increase in TP-1 sensitive cells which suggests the possibility of a thymic hormone deficiency in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical features and the prognostic relevance of vitiligo lesions in melanoma patients are still controversial. This prospective observational study was designed to characterise the clinical features of melanoma-associated vitiligo, to analyse the association with other autoimmune manifestations and to ascertain whether the development of vitiligo lesions carries a prognostic relevance on the clinical course of melanoma. Materials and methods: A total of 2954 consecutive patients have been included; multivariate analyses of distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) were carried out to ascertain the independent prognostic role of vitiligo as a time-dependent covariate. Results: Vitiligo was demonstrated in 83 of 2954 melanoma patients (2.8%). A significantly higher percentage of autoimmune diseases was demonstrated in vitiligo patients (7 of 83) with respect to patients without vitiligo (80 of 2871) (P = 0.004). Multivariate analyses selected the time-dependent covariate vitiligo as the favourable independent prognostic variable associated to a longer DMFS in stage III and a higher OS in both stage III and stage IV. Conclusion: Melanoma-associated vitiligo should be considered as a distinct clinical entity, separate from vitiligo vulgaris, and identifies a subgroup of patients characterised by a high prevalence of immune-mediated diseases and by a favourable prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to define the relationship between the tyrosinase expression in the peripheral blood and the clinical course of the disease in stage III disease-free melanoma patients after radical lymph node dissection. RT-PCR techniques were used to identify tyrosinase mRNA in 110 patients; a total of 542 blood samples were investigated. In all, 54 patients (49%) showed at least one positive result; 13 patients (11.8%) showed baseline positive results: six became negative thereafter, whereas seven showed follow-up positive results until disease progression occurred. One or more positive determinations were found during follow-up in 41 patients with negative baseline tyrosinase. No correlation was found between baseline results and the relapse rate or disease-free survival (DFS), whereas a significant correlation was found between positive tyrosinase results and disease recurrence during follow-up. In fact, 72.9% of positive patients relapsed, but only 19.3% of negative cases did so. The median interval between the positive results and the clinical demonstration of the relapse was 1.9 months (range 1-6.6). Disease-free survival multivariate analysis selected, as independent variables, Breslow thickness (P=0.05), lymph node involvement according to the AJCC classification (P=0.05) and tyrosinase expression (P=0.0001). In conclusion, RT-PCR tyrosinase mRNA expression is a reliable and reproducible marker associated with a high risk of melanoma progression and we encourage its clinical use in routine follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]