A Study of C-MYC, SOX10 and BCL-2 Proteins Expression in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanomas
Pages 109-113
R. Hsieh, M.L. Prasad, M.M.S. Nico, H. Tavares, A. Altemani, R.S.S. Macarenco and S.V. Lourenço

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-2279.2016.05.04.1

Published: 05 December 2016

Abstract: Background: Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma (HNMM) is rare, accounting 1% of all melanomas in USA, and 6% in Japan. Melanoma’s development is a complex process involving activation of proto-oncogenes and loss of tumor suppressors. Bcl-2 oncogene encodes a family of anti-apoptotic proteins and it is overexpressed in melanomas. On the other hand, proto-oncogene C-myc is a transcriptional factor and plays crucial role both in driving cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis, its overexpression has been associated to melanoma progression. Moreover, oncogene SOX10 cooperates with other transcription factors to direct the development and differentiation of melanocytes. These three nuclear markers are associated to melanoma’s metastatic risk.

Methods: We studied of BCL-2; C-myc and SOX10 proteins in 19 Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded cases of HNMM from Yale School of Medicine and 10 cases from University of São Paulo by Alkalin Phosphatase immunohistochemistry technique.

Results: We considered as positive expression when over 25% of tumor cells were immunostained. We observed 27/29 were positive to Bcl-2 and 28/29 cases showed SOX10 expression (both markers showing immunostaining in over 75% of tumor cells). However, we noticed variable expression for C-myc in 15/29 of HNMM cases.

Conclusions: According to ours results, we suggest that BCL-2 and SOX10, should be good adjuctive biomarkers for HNMM, however lower expression of C-myc has not shown to play main role in the HNMM development, thus further molecular biology studies should corroborate this present study.

Keywords: Mucosal melanoma, C-myc, SOX10, Bcl-2.

Preventing Melanoma with the Help of Occupational Physicians
Pages 114-119
Alberto Modenese

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-2279.2016.05.04.2

Published: 05 December 2016

Abstract: Melanoma incidence is increasing constantly worldwide in recent years: 132,000 melanoma skin cancers occur globally each year (WHO-INTERSUN). Despite this, no adequate evidence regarding the role of cumulative solar UV exposure in inducing the skin cancer has been provided. Recently, some studies appear to indicate that, also in patients with melanoma history, the habit of completely avoiding sun exposure is not a positive prognostic factor. According to IARC monograph published in 2012, evidences regarding UV risk factors for melanoma are the intermittent UV exposure with recurrent sunburns, especially in childhood and adolescence.

According to these findings, various studies on occupational exposure to solar radiation (SR) failed to find an association between the performance of an outdoor job and the risk of melanoma. Recently, in Italy melanoma due to SR exposure has been erased from the national list of occupational diseases (D.P.R. 1124/65, last modification in 2014). But, in Europe an occupational health surveillance is needed for workers exposed to Artificial UV radiation according to EU Directive 2006/25/CE, and a skin examination for these workers is suggested, but quite paradoxically there are not similar indications for workers exposed to natural UV radiation.

Considering the great number of outdoor workers employed in Europe, at least 14 million according to OSHA, and worldwide, the consideration of occupational solar radiation exposure as a specific professional risk requiring the health surveillance of exposed workers will be very helpful in order to prevent melanoma and other UV related diseases.

Keywords: Malignant melanoma, occupational cancer, solar radiation, outdoor work, UV exposure prevention.