Endothelial protein C receptor expression as a marker of reduced metastatic risk in primary melanoma
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine
- 2Division of Dermatology, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo
- 3Laboratory for Skin Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine
- 5Department of Dermatology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
Malignant melanoma has a strong propensity for early metastatic dissemination, yet conventional clinicopathological predictors such as Breslow thickness do not fully capture individual metastatic risk. The endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) exerts context-dependent functions across malignancies, but its clinical significance in melanoma remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed primary tumor specimens from 62 patients with invasive melanoma; 61 with complete outcome data formed the analytic cohort for metastasis analyses. EPCR expression in melanoma cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using semi-quantitative intensity and extent scores (0–3). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were graded according to the Melanoma Institute Australia scoring system. Higher EPCR expression was associated with lower odds of documented lymph-node and distant metastatic involvement. In prespecified parsimonious multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for tumor thickness and ulceration, higher EPCR extent remained independently associated with reduced lymph-node involvement (adjusted odds ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval:, 0.17–0.70). EPCR expression showed a positive association with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte scores. Higher EPCR expression in primary melanoma was independently associated with reduced lymph-node involvement and with a CD8+-inflamed tumor microenvironment, suggesting EPCR may complement conventional pathological predictors of metastatic risk.
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BibTeX
@article{fusumae2026endothelial,
title = {{Endothelial protein C receptor expression as a marker of reduced metastatic risk in primary melanoma}},
author = {Takayuki Fusumae and Takeru Funakoshi and Ikuko Hirai and Yoshio Nakamura and Keitaro Fukuda and Takashi Iwata and Masayuki Amagai and Keiji Tanese},
journal = {Melanoma Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1097/cmr.0000000000001123},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/cmr.0000000000001123},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Endothelial protein C receptor expression as a marker of reduced metastatic risk in primary melanoma
AU - Takayuki Fusumae
AU - Takeru Funakoshi
AU - Ikuko Hirai
AU - Yoshio Nakamura
AU - Keitaro Fukuda
AU - Takashi Iwata
AU - Masayuki Amagai
AU - Keiji Tanese
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Melanoma Research
DO - 10.1097/cmr.0000000000001123
UR - https://doi.org/10.1097/cmr.0000000000001123
AB - Malignant melanoma has a strong propensity for early metastatic dissemination, yet conventional clinicopathological predictors such as Breslow thickness do not fully capture individual metastatic risk. The endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) exerts context-dependent functions across malignancies, but its clinical significance in melanoma remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed primary tumor specimens from 62 patients with invasive melanoma; 61 with complete outcome data formed the analytic cohort for metastasis analyses. EPCR expression in melanoma cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using semi-quantitative intensity and extent scores (0–3). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were graded according to the Melanoma Institute Australia scoring system. Higher EPCR expression was associated with lower odds of documented lymph-node and distant metastatic involvement. In prespecified parsimonious multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for tumor thickness and ulceration, higher EPCR extent remained independently associated with reduced lymph-node involvement (adjusted odds ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval:, 0.17–0.70). EPCR expression showed a positive association with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte scores. Higher EPCR expression in primary melanoma was independently associated with reduced lymph-node involvement and with a CD8+-inflamed tumor microenvironment, suggesting EPCR may complement conventional pathological predictors of metastatic risk.
SN - 0960-8931
SN - 1473-5636
ER -