RAGE ligand S100A8/A9 as a novel prognostic biomarker for high-risk melanoma patients.

9070 Background: We have recently demonstrated that the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a central driver of tumorigenesis by sustaining a chronic inflammatory tumor microenvironment. This study aimed at identifying novel prognostic biomarkers for melanoma by a hypothesis-driven approach linking RAGE signaling-related serum markers with clinical outcome of melanoma patients. Methods: Plasma concentrations of the soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE) were analyzed in 173 plasma samples of stage I-IV melanoma patients (cohort 1). Serum concentration of RAGE-related markers sRAGE, S100B, S100A8/A9, and HMGB1 were measured in an independent second cohort of 240 metastasized stage III-IV patients and compared to established prognostic markers including sub-stage and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). All analyses were performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: sRAGE was strongly associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in cohort 1. A detailed analysis of d...