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- Bolander, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Serological and immunohistochemical analysis of S100 and derivatives as markers for prognosis of newly operated malignant melanoma patients
- 2008
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In: Melanoma research. - 0960-8931 .- 1473-5636. ; 18:6, s. 412-419
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma is rising, and tumour markers are attracting attention as a possible alternative to clinical examination in the follow-up situation. S100 is the preferred marker for malignant melanoma, and correlation between serum S100 and disease relapse and survival has been reported. S100 tests previously used in clinical studies were specified poorly regarding reactivity with S100A1B and S100BB. In this study, a newly designed S100 assay (designed to measure exclusively S100A1B and S100BB) and two newly developed serological assays, S100A1B, and S100BB, were investigated postoperatively in patients undergoing radical surgery for cutaneous malignant melanoma. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis of S100A4 was performed on the primary malignant melanoma using tissue microarrays. The primary aim of the study was to investigate whether any of these assays, either singly or in combination, can contribute additional information concerning increased risk of relapse and death because of malignant melanoma. In total, 98 patients (54 males, 44 females) with malignant melanoma were included in the study. As a continuous variable, S100BB (P=0.016) was associated statistically with increased risk of relapse; this was not the case for increased values of either S100 (P=0.11) or S100A1B (P=0.92). The Kaplan-Meier overall survival as well as disease specific survival curve for the S100 serum level demonstrated a statistically significant association with better survival if the patient had a S100 level
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2. |
- Bolander, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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The Role of Circulating Angiogenic Factors in Patients Operated on for Localized Malignant Melanoma
- 2007
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In: Anticancer Research. - 0250-7005 .- 1791-7530. ; 27:5A, s. 3211-3217
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Malignant melanoma is a disease capable of rapid progression and rapidly developing metastases. Angiogenesis is a key event signalling tumour progression and elevated levels of angiogenic markers may indicate metastatic disease. No previously published work has, so far, examined plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, VEGFR-1, in melanoma. This study investigated circulating levels of the angiogenic factors, VEGF-A and -D, their receptors 1-3 and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor, in patients shortly after primary surgery for localized malignant melanoma. Elevated circulating levels of VEGF and its receptors, and of HGF, were found postoperatively, possibly derived from the reactive stroma adjacent to the tumours. Using univariate analysis, a correlation between levels of VEGFR-1 and relapse was found, but a correlation between the investigated angiogenic factors and survival could not be established. The results of the present study indicate that production of these angiogenic factors may be due to sources other than malignant melanoma cells.
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3. |
- Forsberg, Ole, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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High frequency of prostate antigen-directed T cells in cancer patients compared to healthy age-matched individuals
- 2009
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In: The Prostate. - : Wiley. - 0270-4137 .- 1097-0045. ; 69:1, s. 70-81
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND. In order to obtain a sustained cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against cancer cells it is preferable to have CTLs directed against multiple peptide epitopes from numerous tumor-associated antigens. METHODS. We used a flow cytometry-based interferon (IFN)-g secretion assay to analyze whether CD8+ T cells directed against any of 24 HLA-A*0201-binding peptides from 15 prostate-associated proteins can be found in the peripheral blood of patients with localized prostate cancer. We also investigated whether multiple prostate antigen-specific CD8+ T cells can be generated simultaneously, from a naïve T cell repertoire. In that case, dendritic cells (DCs) from peripheral blood of healthy donors were divided in six portions and separately pulsed with six peptides. The peptide-pulsed DCs were then pooled and used to stimulate autologous T cells. The T cells were re-stimulated with peptide-pulsed monocytes. RESULTS. We found prostate antigen-restricted CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood in 48 out of 184 (26.1%) analyzed samples from 25 cancer patients. This is significantly higher than 17 out of 214 analyzed samples (7.9%) from 10 healthy age-matched male individuals (p = 0.0249). In the cases when antigen-specific T cells could not be detected, we were able to generate IFN-g-producing CD8+ T cells specific for up to three prostate antigens simultaneously from a naïve T cell repertoire. CONCLUSIONS. CD8+ T cells directed against prostate antigen peptides can be found in, or generated from, peripheral blood. This indicates that such T cells could be expanded ex vivo for adoptive transfer to prostate cancer patients.
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