%0 Journal Article %T Overexpression of Chromatin Assembly Factor-1/p60 helps to predict the prognosis of melanoma patients %A Massimo Mascolo %A Maria Vecchione %A Gennaro Ilardi %A Massimiliano Scalvenzi %A Guido Molea %A Maria Di Benedetto %A Loredana Nugnes %A Maria Siano %A Gaetano De Rosa %A Stefania Staibano %J BMC Cancer %D 2010 %I BioMed Central %R 10.1186/1471-2407-10-63 %X Immunohistochemistry with anti-CAF-1/p60 was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 130 cases of primary CM retrieved from the archive files of the Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, Section of Pathology, University "Federico II" of Naples, Italy. Results were compared with histopathological and follow-up data of patients.CAF-1/p60 was expressed in all CM. A significant statistical association between the overexpression of the protein and the occurrence of skin, node and/or distant metastases (P < 0.05) emerged, independently from histopathological prognostic factors.CAF-1/p60 looks promising as a new prognostic marker for CM and sheds new light on the molecular events associated with photocancerogenesis and melanoma biology.The screening for CAF-1/p60 might contribute to the molecular sub-classification of CM, with improved translational outcomes.The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM) has shown one of the higher increases of any form of cancer during the past two generations [1]. Worldwide, about 100.000 new cases of CM are diagnosed each year and account for more than 70% of all the deaths from skin tumors [1-5].The increase in CM incidence is shared by Australia, New Zealand, United States and most of European States, notwithstanding the better knowledge of environmental and phenotypic risk factors and ongoing primary and secondary prevention strategies [6-9]. To date, according to the updated AJCC staging system, the most reliable predictors of patient outcome remain the extent of infiltration (Breslow thickness), the presence of ulceration and, to a lesser extent, the tumor proliferation index [10]. The estimated 10-year survival rates for non-metastatic CM range from 93% for patients with "thin" tumors (