2003/05/22 by Eva Miranda, Francisco J. Vizoso, Arancha Martín +5 · 22 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism #Clusterin in disease pathology #Estrogen and related hormone effects #Medicine #Melanoma #Immunohistochemistry #Immunostaining #Pathology #HMB-45 #Pathological #Nodular melanoma #Superficial spreading melanoma #Dysplastic nevus #Nevus #Cancer research
paper · doi:10.1002/jso.10245
published in Journal of Surgical Oncology 83(2), 99-105 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2003/05/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Apolipoprotein D (Apo D) is a protein component of the human plasma lipid transport system, and an androgen-regulated protein in both breast and prostate cancer cell lines. Our goal was to evaluate the expression of Apo D in malignant cutaneous melanomas, as well as to assess its possible relationship to clinical and pathological parameters. METHODS: Apo D expression was analyzed in 32 paraffin-embedded tissues from patients with invasive cutaneous malignant melanomas, in 8 samples from in situ melanoma, and in 10 samples from 10 benign lesions (4 dermal melanocytic nevi, 4 compound melanocytic nevi, and 2 dysplastic melanocytic nevi), using immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS: The benign lesions were consistently negative for Apo D, whereas 3 of the 8 "in situ" melanomas (37.5%) and 12 of the 32 invasive melanomas (37.5%) showed positive immunostaining for Apo D. The percentage of Apo D-positive tumors was significantly higher in nodular than in superficial spreading melanomas (P = 0.011) and in melanomas with vertical growth phase than in melanomas with radial growth phase (P = 0.02). In addition, the percentage of Apo D-positive tumors was positively and significantly correlated with Clark's level of invasion (P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Apo D may be a new prognostic factor of unfavorable evolution in cutaneous malignant melanoma.