Background: Elevation of the tumor marker S-100B in melanoma patients is a highly specific indicator of recurrence.
Materials and methods: The role of S-100B in disease-free survival (DFS) was evaluated in stage III melanoma patients (staged with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography [FDG-PET] and computed tomography [CT]) with palpable lymph node metastases who underwent therapeutic lymph node dissection. S-100B and LDH were measured on the day before surgery (d = -1) and on days 1, 2, and 7 postoperatively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study factors associated with preoperative elevation of S-100B. Univariate (log-rank test) and multivariate (Cox regression) survival analyses were performed to identify factors associated with DFS.
Results: Between 2004 and 2008, 56 patients (median age 57, range 24-93) years, 27 males (48%) and 29 females (52%) entered the study. Preoperative S-100B elevation was found in 27 patients (48%) and elevated LDH in 20 patients (36%). No association was found between these two markers at any time. Multivariate analysis showed that elevated S-100B preoperatively (hazard ratio [HR] 2.7, P = .03) was associated with DFS. S-100B elevation was associated with increased tumor size (odds ratio [OR] 3.40; P = .03).
Conclusion: Elevated S-100B preoperatively in patients with optimally staged clinical stage III melanoma is associated with decreased disease-free survival. S100-B could be used as a prognostic marker in the stratification of new adjuvant trials to select stage III melanoma patients for adjuvant systematic treatment.