UNASSIGNED: 8563 Background: The significance of @entity320 is poorly studied despite being fundamental to melanocyte biology. We examined its pathological and clinical associations in primary @entity320 ; and as a diagnostic target for the novel melanin binding PET tracer @entity69035 in advanced @entity320 . METHODS: Data collected prospectively from 253 @entity1 with primary @entity320 . Standard histological features, @entity817 (exon 15) and @entity8497 (exon 2) mutation status, and clinical outcome results were correlated against pigmentation assessed macroscopically by a pathologist. Second, in 5 @entity1 with stage III/IV @entity320 planned for resection, we performed a pilot study of @entity69035 -PET in @entity1 with positive FDG-PET imaging. RESULTS: Pathological and outcome data obtained for 253 and 216 @entity1 respectively with a median follow-up of 47 months. Lack of melanin was present in 46 of 253 (18.2%) of @entity5 and was associated with increased thickness, nonsuperficial spreading histotype, presence of ulceration and @entity817 WT. On Cox proportional hazards analysis, amelanosis was an independent predictor of worse @entity320 specific survival (MSS) and relapse free survival (RFS) but not overall survival (OS) (Table). @entity69035 uptake was demonstrated in 3 of 3 @entity1 with @entity5 with 60 min standardized uptake values (SUV) of 7, 10.4, 10.6. No significant @entity5 @entity69035 signal in 2 of 2 @entity1 with @entity5 , or in 1 FDG-positive mediastinal node, presumed inflammatory. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of melanin synthesis occurs occasionally in primary @entity320 and more frequently in metastases, and in our @entity1 cohort was associated with a more @entity146 phenotype and worse outcomes. @entity69035 may thus allow noninvasive characterization of this apparently important prognostic factor. [Table: see text].

XXXX affects @entity320 -specific survival and provides a potential target for radiopharmaceutical-based imaging and therapy.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity146 :: ('MESH:D001523', 'Disease') :: ['aggressive'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'tumors', 'melanotic tumors', 'amelanotic tumors'] @entity69035 :: ('MESH:C543821', 'Chemical') :: ['[(18)F]MEL050'] @entity8497 :: ('4893', 'Gene') :: ['NRAS'] @entity817 :: ('673', 'Gene') :: ['BRAF'] @entity320 :: ('MESH:D008545', 'Disease') :: ['melanoma', 'melanoma pigmentation', 'melanomas', 'cutaneous melanoma']
@entity320 :: (MESH:D008545,Disease) :: ['Melanoma pigmentation']
