Abstract
The search for melanoma biomarkers is crucial, as the incidence of melanoma continues to rise. We have previously demonstrated that serum CEACAM1 (sCEACAM1) is secreted from melanoma cells and correlates with disease progression in metastatic melanoma patients. Here, we have used a different cohort of melanoma patients with regional or metastatic disease (N = 49), treated with autologous vaccination. By monitoring sCEACAM1 in serum samples obtained prior to and after vaccination, we show that sCEACAM1 correlates with disease state, overall survival, and S100B. The trend of change in sCEACAM1 following vaccination (increase/decrease) inversely correlates with overall survival. DTH skin test is used to evaluate patients' anti-melanoma immune response and to predict response to vaccination. Importantly, sCEACAM1 had a stronger prognostic value than that of DTH, and when sCEACAM1 decreased following treatment, this was the dominant predictor of increased survival. Collectively, our results point out the relevance of sCEACAM1 in monitoring melanoma patients.
Highlights
Malignant melanoma is a main cancer-related cause of death in people below 30
Comparison of with evidence of disease (WED) to no clinical evidence of disease (NED) patients demonstrated a 20% elevation in WED patients, both at basal time point (Figure 1, mean sCEACAM1 = 0.93 in a as compared to 1.11 in C; P = 0.024) and following vaccination (Figure 1, mean sCEACAM1 = 1.0 in B as compared to 1.19 in D; P = 0.068). These results are in line with our previous findings in a different cohort of melanoma patients and treatments, describing a significant elevation in sCEACAM1 in WED as compared to NED patients and healthy volunteers [37]
We examined 49 melanoma patients from advanced AJCC stages, before and following autologous vaccination, for serum sCEACAM1 levels
Summary
Malignant melanoma is a main cancer-related cause of death in people below 30. While its incidence continues to rise more rapidly than that of any other malignancy, until lately, therapy had shown only moderate success and caused numerous adverse effects [1,2,3]. A new hope for melanoma patients has emerged from the development of a specific B-RAF inhibitor and the entry of immune checkpoint modulators to the clinic. In spite of this progress, the monitoring of melanoma patients still presents a clinical challenge as it heavily relies on history taking, physical examination, and wide imaging studies [4]. Several studies showed the prognostic value of S100B and LDH in predicting successful therapeutic treatments for malignant melanoma patients [11,12,13,14,15,16]. Abnormal elevation of S100B accompanies liver and kidney injuries as well as inflammatory and infectious diseases [17], while elevated LDH is observed in liver injury, cell damage, hemolysis, and so forth [18,19,20]
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