Melanoma types by in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy correlated with protein and molecular genetic alterations: A pilot study

Beretti, Francesca; Bertoni, Laura; Farnetani, Francesca; Pellegrini, Cristina; Gorelli, Greta; Cesinaro, Anna Maria; Bonetti, Luca Reggiani; Nardo, Lucia Di; Kaleci, Shaniko; Chester, Johanna; Longo, Caterina; Massi, Daniela; Fargnoli, Maria Concetta; Pellacani, Giovanni

doi:10.1111/exd.13877

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…On the other hand, molecular studies support the view that melanoma comprises distinct types of tumors and suggest that specific morphological features may help predict its clinical behavior. In line with this, and given some dermoscopic attributes of melanoma, such as features of regression and vascularity, were strongly linked to the overall amount of genomic damage [24].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Dermoscopy And Reflectance Confocal Microscopy To Estimate Breslow Index And Mitotic Rate In Primary Melanoma

Barragán-Estudillo

Brito

Chavez-Bourgeois

et al. 2022

Dermatol Pract Concept

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Non-invasive imaging techniques offer the possibility to optimize the first approach to melanoma. RCM has a promising role in predicting the main prognostic events in the dermoepidermal and papillary dermis. Objectives: To identify pre-surgical criteria that can predict the main prognostic features of melanoma. Methods: A retrospective cohort-study evaluated dermoscopic, confocal and histopathological characteristics of consecutively diagnosed sporadic melanomas. RCM-melanoma patterns classified into 1) dendritic-cell, 2) round-cell, 3) dermal nest and 4) combined type. Acral, facial and mucosal locations were excluded. Results: 92 primary melanomas were included: 44 male and 48 female (mean age 60.4 years, SD 16.2) with a mean Breslow of 1.43mm (SD 1.6). The most frequent dermoscopic presentation was the multicomponent pattern, the predominant confocal pattern was dendritic-cell type (44.6%). The presence of pigmented network on dermoscopy was related to lower Breslow and mitotic rates (both p=0.002); in contrast to the presence of visible vessels, which was related to higher Breslow and mitotic indexes (both p=0.001). Confocal observation of dermal nests or atypical cells in the papillary dermis was related to a higher mitotic rate (p=0.006 and p=0.03, respectively). Similarly, diffuse inflammatory infiltrates visible in the superficial dermis was associated with higher Breslow (p=0.04) and mitotic index (p=0.04). Conclusions: Dermoscopic and RCM in vivo findings on primary melanoma correlate with histopathologic Breslow index, mitotic rate and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. The architecture and cytology of primary melanoma can be estimated by combining dermoscopy and RCM prior to excision.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Dermoscopy And Reflectance Confocal Microscopy To Estimate Breslow Index And Mitotic Rate In Primary Melanoma

Barragán-Estudillo

Brito

Chavez-Bourgeois

et al. 2022

Dermatol Pract Concept

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Filipp et al demonstrated that the expression of CD271 regulates melanoma cell stemness and serves as a driver of metastasis [ 16 ]. Furthermore, we previously demonstrated that, besides other markers, CD271 is suggestive of a progression and an increase in the aggressiveness of melanomas, according to their morphologies [ 12 , 26 ]. Verykiou et al demonstrated that the treatment of CD271-expressing melanoma subpopulations with RNA interference and small-molecule inhibitors of CD271 slowed down the development of MEKi resistance [ 1 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactive Oxygen Species Regulation of Chemoresistance and Metastatic Capacity of Melanoma: Role of the Cancer Stem Cell Marker CD271

et al. 2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BRAF mutations are present in 30–50% of cases of cutaneous melanoma, and treatment with selective BRAF and MEK inhibitors has been introduced. However, the development of resistance to these drugs often occurs. Chemo-resistant melanoma cells show increased expression of CD271, a stem cell marker that features increased migration. Concordantly, resistance to the selective inhibitor of oncogenic BRAFV600E/K, vemurafenib, is mediated by the increased expression of CD271. It has recently been shown that the BRAF pathway leads to an overexpression of the NADPH oxidase Nox4, which produces reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we examined in vitro how Nox-derived ROS in BRAF-mutated melanoma cells regulates their drug sensitivity and metastatic potential. We demonstrated that DPI, a Nox inhibitor, reduced the resistance of a melanoma cell line (SK-MEL-28) and a primary culture derived from a BRAFV600E-mutated biopsy to vemurafenib. DPI treatment affected the expression of CD271 and the ERK and Akt signaling pathways, leading to a drop in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which undoubtedly promotes an invasive phenotype in melanoma. More importantly, the scratch test demonstrated the efficacy of the Nox inhibitor (DPI) in blocking migration, supporting its use to counteract drug resistance and thus cell invasion and metastasis in BRAF-mutated melanoma.

show abstract

“…To date, superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) represents the most common form of melanoma in Caucasians while NM is less represented [37,38]. RCM variations corresponding to changes in each skin layer can be observed and a melanoma classification according to RCM features, corresponding to different molecular alterations, has been established [39,40].…”

Section: Main In Vivo Clsm Diagnostic Clues In Skin Cancersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Applications of In Vivo and Ex Vivo Confocal Microscopy

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) has been introduced in clinical settings as a tool enabling a quasi-histologic view of a given tissue, without performing a biopsy. It has been applied to many fields of medicine mainly to the skin and to the analysis of skin cancers for both in vivo and ex vivo CLSM. In vivo CLSM involves reflectance mode, which is based on refractive index of cell structures serving as endogenous chromophores, reaching a depth of exploration of 200 μm. It has been proven to increase the diagnostic accuracy of skin cancers, both melanoma and non-melanoma. While histopathologic examination is the gold standard for diagnosis, in vivo CLSM alone and in addition to dermoscopy, contributes to the reduction of the number of excised lesions to exclude a melanoma, and to improve margin recognition in lentigo maligna, enabling tissue sparing for excisions. Ex vivo CLSM can be performed in reflectance and fluorescent mode. Fluorescence confocal microscopy is applied for “real-time” pathological examination of freshly excised specimens for diagnostic purposes and for the evaluation of margin clearance after excision in Mohs surgery. Further prospective interventional studies using CLSM might contribute to increase the knowledge about its application, reproducing real-life settings.

show abstract

Melanoma types by in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy correlated with protein and molecular genetic alterations: A pilot study

Cited by 7 publications

References 39 publications

Dermoscopy And Reflectance Confocal Microscopy To Estimate Breslow Index And Mitotic Rate In Primary Melanoma

Dermoscopy And Reflectance Confocal Microscopy To Estimate Breslow Index And Mitotic Rate In Primary Melanoma

Reactive Oxygen Species Regulation of Chemoresistance and Metastatic Capacity of Melanoma: Role of the Cancer Stem Cell Marker CD271

Clinical Applications of In Vivo and Ex Vivo Confocal Microscopy

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About