Prognostic value of serial blood S100B determinations in stage IIB-III melanoma patients: a corollary study to EORTC trial 18952

Eur J Cancer. 2011 Feb;47(3):361-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2010.10.005. Epub 2010 Nov 17.

Abstract

S100B is a prognostic factor for melanoma as elevated levels correlate with disease progression and poor outcome. We determined its prognostic value based on updated information using serial determinations in stage IIb/III melanoma patients. 211 Patients who participated in the EORTC 18952 trial, evaluating efficacy of adjuvant intermediate doses of interferon α2b (IFN) versus observation, entered a corollary study. Over a period of 36 months, 918 serum samples were collected. The Cox time-dependent model was used to assess prognostic value of the latest (most recent) S100B determination. At first measurement, 178 patients had S100B values <0.2 μg/l and 33 ≥ 0.2 μg/l. Within the first group, 61 patients had, later on, an increased value of S100B (≥ 0.2 μg/l). An initial increased value of S100B, or during follow-up, was associated with worse distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS); hazard ratio (HR) of S100B ≥ 0.2 versus S100B < 0.2 was 5.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.81-8.16), P < 0.0001, after adjustment for stage, number of lymph nodes and sex. In stage IIb patients, the HR adjusted for sex was 2.14 (95% CI 0.71, 6.42), whereas in stage III, the HR adjusted for stage, number of lymph nodes and sex was 6.76 (95% CI 4.50-10.16). Similar results were observed regarding overall survival (OS). Serial determination of S100B in stage IIb-III melanoma is a strong independent prognostic marker, even stronger compared to stage and number of positive lymph nodes. The prognostic impact of S100B ≥ 0.2 μg/l is more pronounced in stage III disease compared with stage IIb.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Melanoma / blood
  • Melanoma / mortality*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Prognosis
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • S100 Proteins / blood*
  • Skin Neoplasms / blood
  • Skin Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • S100 Proteins