Tumor-Associated Antibodies in the Serum of Patients With Ocular Melanoma

Abstract

• The indirect immunofluorescent and indirect immunoperoxidase methods to detect tumor-associated antibodies (TAAs) in the plasma of patients with ocular melanomas were examined with commercially available conjugates. Testing indicated comparable titers and staining between the two techniques using snap-frozen uveal melanoma cells. With the indirect immunoperoxidase method it was found that 78% (57) of 73 patients with uveal melanoma had TAAs, while 24% (25) of 106 control subjects were positive for TAAs (P < .001). Seventy-eight percent (11) of 14 patients with metastases to the choroid also had TAAs using snap-frozen cells from choroidal melanoma tumors, which indicates that it was not possible to distinguish this group of patients from those patients with primary uveal melanoma. Tumor-associated antibodies have not been correlated to various prognostic indicators, but serial testing after therapy may show the biologic meaning of such antibodies in patients with ocular melanoma.