Project description:A high percentage of uveal melanoma patients develop metastatic tumors that predominately occur in the liver. To identify genes associated with metastasis in this pathology, we studied 63 molecular profiles derived from gene expression microarrays performed from enuceated primary tumors. Metastasis free survival analysis was performed to obtain clinical and genomic variables associated to metastasis occurrence. We also compared within the 57 tumors with at least 36 months follow-up, 28 uveal melanoma from patients who developed liver metastases (meta1 group) with 29 tumors arising from patients without metastases (or later metastases, i.e. after 36 months) (meta0 group). The transcriptome of 63 uveal melanoma from enucleation of untreated patients were analyzed using Affymetrix U133plus2 Arrays.
Project description:Uveal melanoma is the most common cancer of the eye arising from melanocytes within the choroid, ciliary bodies and iris. Almost half of uveal melanomas metastasize hematogenously to distant organs, most often the liver, where the disease becomes fatal. One of the first genetic alterations to be identified in primary uveal melanomas was monosomy 3, which was found to be strongly associated with metastasis. We used gene expression profiling to identify two phenotypically distinct classes of uveal melanomas: class 1 tumors with low-grade morphology and low metastatic risk; and class 2 tumors with aggressive morphology and high metastatic risk. Our initial studies suggested that gene expression profiling was a better predictor of metastasis than monosomy 3. For this study, BAC-array comparative genomic hybridization was used to assay genomic DNA isolated from fresh frozen primary uveal melanoma samples of known molecular class based on gene expression profiling. Independent samples were sent to the aCGH cores at the University of California, San Francisco and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute for hybridization, and log2 ratios were reported.
Project description:Uveal melanoma is the most common cancer of the eye arising from melanocytes within the choroid, ciliary bodies and iris. Almost half of uveal melanomas metastasize hematogenously to distant organs, most often the liver, where the disease becomes fatal. One of the first genetic alterations to be identified in primary uveal melanomas was monosomy 3, which was found to be strongly associated with metastasis. We used gene expression profiling to identify two phenotypically distinct classes of uveal melanomas: class 1 tumors with low-grade morphology and low metastatic risk; and class 2 tumors with aggressive morphology and high metastatic risk. Our initial studies suggested that gene expression profiling was a better predictor of metastasis than monosomy 3. For this study, BAC-array comparative genomic hybridization was used to assay genomic DNA isolated from fresh frozen primary uveal melanoma samples of known molecular class based on gene expression profiling. Independent samples were sent to the aCGH cores at the University of California, San Francisco and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute for hybridization, and log2 ratios were reported.
Project description:Previous studies have demonstrated two distinct classes of primary uveal melanoma tumors based on gene expression profiling. This study compares the gene expression profiles of primary uveal melanomas collected from fresh frozen samples to those collected by fine needle aspiration biopsy. Two matched metastatic samples were included to identify changes in gene expression profile with metastatic progression.
Project description:Previous studies have demonstrated two distinct classes of primary uveal melanoma tumors based on gene expression profiling. This study compares the gene expression profiles of primary uveal melanomas collected from fresh frozen samples to those collected by fine needle aspiration biopsy. Two matched metastatic samples were included to identify changes in gene expression profile with metastatic progression. Total RNA was obtained from tumor samples that were collected at the time of treatment.