Significance of Expression of p16 protein, p53 protein, Ki-67 antigen, and Factor VIII-related Antigen and Their Correlation with the Clinicopathologic Prognostic Factors in Malignant Melanoma / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Biologic markers such as the p16 protein, p53 protein and Ki-67 antigen, as well as factor VIII-related antigen have been explored in various malignancies as potential prognostic factors. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to examine the expression of biologic markers and to assess their correlation with conventional clinicopathological prognostic factors in malignant melanoma. METHODS: Immunohistochemical stains for p16, p53, Ki-67 and factor VIII-related antigen were performed in twenty formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of primary and metastatic malignant melanomas. We compared the expression of biologic markers with conventional clinicopathologic factors, such as the presence of metastasis, ulceration, Breslow thickness, Clark level and American Joint Commission on Cancer(AJCC) TNM staging. RESULTS: Loss of p16 expression was significantly higher for the metastatic melanomas(90%) than the nonmetastatic(50%). But the results were not correlated with the clinicopathologic prognostic factors. The p53 expression was found in 7/10(70%) of the metastatic melanomas and in 3/10(30%) of the primary melanomas. Statistically, p53 expression was positively correlated with Breslow thickness(p=0.017), Clark level(p=0.003) and TNM staging(p=0.009). Furthermore, statistically significant trends were observed towards increasing expression of Ki-67 with metastatic dissemination(p=0.014), increasing Breslow thickness(p=0.008), Clark level(p=0.012) and TNM staging(p=0.009). Positive correlation was present between TNM staging and factor VIII-related antigen expression(p=0.014). CONCLUSION: p53 protein and Ki-67 antigen may be more useful independent predictors than p16 protein and factor VIII-related antigen in Korean patients with malignant melanoma.