Clinical Ophthalmology (Jan 2020)
Blood Biomarkers of Uveal Melanoma: Current Perspectives
Abstract
Manuel F Bande Rodríguez, 1, 2 Beatriz Fernandez Marta, 1 Nerea Lago Baameiro, 3 Maria Santiago-Varela, 1, 2 Paula Silva-Rodríguez, 2, 4 María Jose Blanco-Teijeiro, 1, 2 Maria Pardo Perez, 3 Antonio Piñeiro Ces 1, 2 1Unidad de Retina Quirúrgica y Tumores Intraoculares del Adulto (URQTIA), Servicio de Oftalmología Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago de Compostela, SERGAS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 2Tumores Intraoculares en el Adulto, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 3Grupo Obesidómica, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain; 4Fundación Pública Galega de Medicina Xenómica, Clinical University Hospital, SERGAS, Santiago de Compostela 15705, SpainCorrespondence: Manuel F Bande RodríguezUnidad de Retina Quirúrgica y Tumores Intraoculares del Adulto (URQTIA), Servicio de Oftalmología Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago de Compostela, SERGAS, Santiago de Compostela, SpainTel +34981951756Fax +34981956189Email [email protected]: The detection of metastases in patients with a diagnosis of uveal melanoma (UM) is a controversial issue. While only 1% of the patients have detectable metastases at the time of diagnosis, up to 30% of them will develop liver metastases within 5 years of treatment. UM spreads hematogenously, therefore, blood biomarkers may be helpful for prognosis and monitoring the disease progression. Despite the great progress achieved thanks to the genetic analysis of UM biopsies, this is an invasive technique and is limited by the heterogeneity of the tumor. The present review considers the current understanding in the field regarding biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of UM and its metastasis, primarily to the liver. General covered topics include non-conventional markers such as proteins previously identified in cutaneous melanoma and UM cell lines, circulating tumor cells, microRNAs (miRNA), and circulating DNA, and how each may be critical in the development of novel blood biomarkers for UM.Keywords: uveal melanoma, biomarker, circulating tumor cells, microRNAs, circulating DNA, exosome