Researchers have suggested that predictive biomarkers could be used to improve patient management in stage III melanoma.
A review, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, indicated that gene expression analysis, as well as the identification of a single gene or signature, correlated with patients’ outcomes and may in turn improve patient management.
A recent study of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) found that one or more CTC per 7.5 mL of blood can be used to independently predict disease relapse at six months from baseline and up to 54 months of follow-up.
Additional research has also found an association between mRNA signatures and prognosis in patients living with stage III melanoma, with microRNAs having been used to identify high-risk patients who may benefit the most from adjuvant therapy.
On top of that, research has also associated circulating tumour DNA with shorter progression-free survival (PFS), suggesting that this biomarker may have important implications for patients.
Further investigations have suggested some significance of BRAF mutations in predicting patient outcomes in melanoma, with the majority of studies having identified an association between BRAF mutations and poor clinical outcomes.
“A multidisciplinary approach integrating biology with bioinformatics and computational science is fundamental in order to discover novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers with the aim of personalising the treatment of each patient,” said the study authors.
Register to receive monthly news alerts and digital magazines