The detection of melanoma metastases in sentinel nodes by polymerase chain reaction

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of detecting melanoma metastases using molecular biological techniques in patients with a primary malignant melanoma. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis Hospital Delft and diagnostic centre SSDZ Delft, the Netherlands. METHODS: A melanoma specific tyrosinase mRNA was amplified using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. RESULTS: A total of 23 sentinel nodes derived from 9 patients were examined. In 14 sentinel nodes metastases were found using RT-PCR. In microscopic slides stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) melanoma metastases were found in 2 sentinel nodes of 2 patients. With immunohistochemistry melanoma metastases were found in the same 2 sentinel nodes. CONCLUSION: It is possible to detect melanoma metastases in sentinel nodes using molecular biological techniques.