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Soo Park, MD
Soo Park, MD
Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2024
Efforts to identify novel therapeutic strategies for patients with primary or metastatic melanoma have revealed melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R)—a key protein involved in regulating skin pigmentation—may prove to be a therapeutic target, according to a study published in JCO Precision Oncology. Further studies examining the role of MC1R as a biomarker for melanoma and its functional role in melanoma progression are needed to determine the extent of its clinical efficacy in this patient population, suggested David G. Su, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues.
Tissue microarrays were constructed using tissue samples from benign nevi (n = 225), primary melanoma (n = 189), and metastatic melanoma (n = 271). The expression of MC1R in the tissue samples was quantified through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.
The study authors reported a stepwise increase of MC1R expression as the extent of disease progression from benign nevi to primary and metastatic melanomas. In addition, primary lesions deeper than 1 mm and ulcerated lesions had an increased expression of MC1R protein. Furthermore, primary and metastatic tumors with an increased expression of MC1R protein were associated with a shorter survival. A multivariate analysis assessing predictors of overall survival in patients with primary melanoma identified multiple independent predictors of worse overall survival, which included Breslow thickness, chronic sun exposure, and male sex.
“Not all metastases expressed high levels of MC1R, suggesting it might be important for patient selection,” remarked the study authors.
Disclosure: Dr. Su reported no conflicts of interest. For full disclosures of the other study authors, visit ascopubs.org.
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