Trial Information

CXCL1 Biomarker Study in Metastatic Melanoma

Malignant Melanoma has rapidly increased in incidence over the past thirty years, at a rate
of roughly 3% per year. In 2005, approximately 59,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed
with 8000 deaths. While the majority of early melanomas can be surgically cured, advanced
melanoma has an extremely poor prognosis. Current chemotherapy and immunotherapy options for
advanced melanoma still offer response rates of only 10-20%. Thus, the elucidation of
biomarkers in melanoma, both diagnostic and prognostic, is an important area for
investigation.

CXCL1 is a chemokine whose expression is upregulated in melanoma. We postulate that CXCL1
plays an important role in the progression of melanoma to invasive disease. Our hypothesis
states that serum CXCL1 levels correlate with the presence of melanoma.

Aims:

1. To measure serum levels of CXCL1 in untreated, metastatic melanoma patients and to
compare to serum CXCL1 levels in normal controls.

2. To measure and compare centrally and peripherally collected serum CXCL1 levels in
untreated, metastatic melanoma.

Blood will be collected from metastatic melanoma patients on one occasion, both peripherally
and centrally. Control will have blood collected peripherally on one occasion. The blood
will be processed and then tested in a blinded, batched fashion.