A Retrospective Case-Control Study of Melanoma Patients Who Have Undergone Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
A Retrospective Case-Control Study of Melanoma Patients Who Have Undergone Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
RATIONALE: Studying samples of tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help the study of cancer in the future.
PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at tumor tissue samples from patients with melanoma who have undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy.
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: This is a retrospective, case-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to Breslow thickness of the tumor (0.75-1.50 mm vs 1.51- 4 mm vs > 4 mm) and gender.
Archived tumor tissue is analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for AP2, vascular endothelial growth factor, MMP 2, MCM4, and others, if feasible. Sentinel node biopsies are analyzed by IHC for CD31, LYVE-1, and D2-40 expression. RNA and DNA are also extracted for genetic expression studies and mutation analysis (e.g., BRAF, NRAS, PTEN, CDKN2A).
Patient data related to relapse and recurrence is collected, if available.
Peer reviewed and funded or endorsed by Cancer Research UK
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,000 patients will be accrued for this study.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Confirmed diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma
Has undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy
No primary melanoma that has not originated in the skin
No multiple primary melanomas
Currently under clinical followup OR discharged from follow up within the past 3 months
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: