Prognostic importance of the mitotic marker phosphohistone H3 in cutaneous nodular melanoma

Mitotic count is a known prognostic predictor in cutaneous melanoma, and is included in the current American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system. The mitotic marker phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) is considered to facilitate counting of mitosis, and the purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance and strength of PHH3 in comparison with standard mitotic counting in cutaneous malignant melanoma. A total of 457 consecutive cases of nodular cutaneous melanoma were initially included in this series. The mitotic count was assessed on hematoxylin and eosin sections, and PHH3 was then examined by immunohistochemistry on standard sections of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Both the mitotic count and the number of PHH3-stained mitotic figures were recorded in a minimum area of 1 mm(2). Increased mitotic count and PHH3 value were both associated with unfavorable features like tumor thickness and presence of ulceration. Univariate survival analysis showed a highly significant prognostic impact of mitotic count and PHH3, whereas multivariate analysis indicated PHH3 to be a stronger prognostic indicator than mitotic count. Assessment of mitotic activity by PHH3 immunostaining might have important practical advantages, and should be further studied to consider a place in routine examination of all cutaneous melanomas.