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01-09-2015 | Original Article

Increased CCL17 serum levels are associated with improved survival in advanced melanoma

Authors: Benjamin Weide, Nicolas Allgaier, Andreas Hector, Andrea Forschner, Ulrike Leiter, Thomas K. Eigentler, Claus Garbe, Dominik Hartl

Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy | Issue 9/2015

Abstract

Background

Prognostic factors of melanoma patients with distant metastases remain poorly established. This study aimed to compare the prognostic impact of putative serum biomarkers, namely S100B, YKL-40 or CCL17, in stage IV melanoma patients.

Patients and methods

Serum concentrations were analyzed by ELISA. Disease-specific survival of 80 patients according to S100B, YKL-40 or CCL17 and clinical factors were calculated by univariate Kaplan–Meier survival and multivariate analysis.

Results

Low serum levels of S100B, high concentrations of CCL17 and female gender correlated with improved survival. A trend for favorable prognosis was observed for the M categories M1a/b versus M1c according to the AJCC classification. No correlation with survival was evident for YKL-40 serum levels and age. In multivariate analysis, S100B (HR 2.1; p = 0.005) and CCL17 (HR 1.8; p = 0.029) had independent prognostic impact. Patients with a combination of normal S100B and high CCL17 had a high chance for long-term survival, which was 43 % after 3 years.

Conclusion

Serum levels of CCL17 and S100B represent independent prognostic markers for melanoma patients with distant metastases. These biomarkers were more powerful than the M category according to the AJCC classification to indicate overall survival. CCL17 represents a promising biomarker upon immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma.

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Title: Increased CCL17 serum levels are associated with improved survival in advanced melanoma
Authors: Benjamin Weide
Nicolas Allgaier
Andreas Hector
Andrea Forschner
Ulrike Leiter
Thomas K. Eigentler
Claus Garbe
Dominik Hartl
Publication date: 01-09-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy / Issue 9/2015
Print ISSN: 0340-7004
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-015-1714-4

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