HLA-DR and 96-K Antigens and Intratumoral Lymphocytic Infiltrate in Primary Cutaneous Melanoma as Markers of Tumor Progression

Abstract

It was recently demonstrated that HLA-DR antigens in primary melanomas are correlated with 96-K antigen expression and with the presence of an intratumoral lymphocytic infiltrate (ILI). As HLA-DR antigens are known to be associated with advanced phases of tumor progression in melanocytic lesions, we investigated whether primary melanomas in different progression phases could be distinguished on the basis of the expression of HLA-DR and 96-K antigens and of the presence of an ILI. A concordant presence of the two antigens and of an ILI was frequent both in vertical growth pattern melanomas and in melanomas thicker than 1 mm. On the contrary, both antigens and the ILI were frequently absent both in thin melanomas (less than 1 mm) and in radial growth pattern melanomas. These observations suggest that a joint study of HLA-DR and 96-K antigens and of the ILI is useful to define the phase of progression of primary melanomas.