Copy number variation in archival melanoma biopsies versus benign melanocytic lesions

Copy number variation in archival melanoma biopsies versus benign melanocytic lesions.

BACKGROUND Skin melanocytes can give rise to benign and malignant neoplasms. Discrimination of an early melanoma from an unusual/atypical benign nevus can represent a significant challenge. However, previous studies have shown that in contrast to benign nevi, melanoma demonstrates pervasive chromosomal aberrations. OBJECTIVE This substantial difference between melanoma and benign nevi can be ...

A comparative study of estrogen receptor beta expression in melanoma and benign melanocytic lesions

Background: Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. In contrast to other tumors, the role of estrogen in the initiation and progression of melanoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate estrogen receptor beta protein expression in human melanoma tissues and in the benign melanocytic lesions. Method: Twenty-one patients, 11 with cutaneous melanoma and 10 w...

BIRC5 Genomic Copy Number Variation in Early-Onset Breast Cancer

Background: Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 (BIRC5) gene is an inhibitor of apoptosis that expresses in human embryonic tissues but it is absent in most healthy adult tissues. The copy number of BIRC5 has been indicated to be highly increased in tumor tissues; however, its association with the age of onset in breast cancer is not well understood. Methods: Forty tumor tiss...

A comparative study of estrogen receptor beta expression in melanoma and benign melanocytic lesions

Novel genes associated with malignant melanoma but not benign melanocytic lesions.

PURPOSE Cutaneous melanoma is a common, aggressive cancer with increasing incidence. The identification of melanoma-specific deregulated genes could provide molecular markers for lymph node staging assays and further insight into melanoma tumorigenesis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Total RNA isolated from 45 primary melanoma, 18 benign skin nevi, and 7 normal skin tissue specimens were analyzed on an ...