Serologic and immunohistochemical prognostic biomarkers of cutaneous malignancies

Abstract

Biomarkers are important tools in clinical diagnosis and prognostic classification of various cutaneous malignancies. Besides clinical and histopathological aspects (e.g. anatomic site and type of the primary tumour, tumour size and invasion depth, ulceration, vascular invasion), an increasing variety of molecular markers have been identified, providing the possibility of a more detailed diagnostic and prognostic subgrouping of tumour entities, up to even changing existing classification systems. Recently published gene expression or proteomic profiling data relate to new marker molecules involved in skin cancer pathogenesis, which may, after validation by suitable studies, represent future prognostic or predictive biomarkers in cutaneous malignancies. We, here, give an overview on currently known serologic and newer immunohistochemical biomarker molecules in the most common cutaneous malignancies, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphoma, particularly emphasizing their prognostic and predictive significance.

Fig. 1

Schematic presentation of the cellular localization and function of the melanoma biomarkers S100-beta, tyrosinase and melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA)

Fig. 2

Kaplan–Meier survival curves of 65 patients with advanced metastatic melanoma (AJCC stage IV). Patients with elevated serum levels of S100-beta show a significantly reduced survival probability compared to patients with normal S100-beta serum concentrations (P = 0.003 by log rank test; detection system LIAISON Sangtec 100)