The prognostic significance of basic fibroblast growth factor in cutaneous malignant melanoma

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a growth factor and an angiogenesis factor which may play a role in the evolution of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). In this study, we evaluated the distribution of bFGF in CMM using immunochemical methods and correlated the pattern of bFGF expression with the clinical course. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 46 CMMs were immunostained with a high-affinity purified antibody raised against human bFGF. CMM were categorized into lesions that exhibited subsequent recurrence (local, regional and/or systemic) or recurrence-free lesions. The minimum follow-up time was 5 years. Expression of bFGF within the tumors and in peritumoral and intratumoral blood vessels was similar in the two groups. Comparable results were attained when 8 recurring vs 8 non-recurring CMM, selected from the above tumors, were matched for age, gender, anatomic site and tumor thickness. These results suggest that the biologic behavior of CMM may not be predicted by immunoreactivity to bFGF in CMM cells or in the local tumor vasculature.