Hulbert K. B. Silver

Serum sialic acid elevations in malignant melanoma patients

Elevated membrane sialic acid (n‐acetyl neuraminic acid) concentration may be a general phenomenon associated with malignant or transformed cells. In this study, sera from 30 normal persons and 25 melanoma patients were examined to determine first, if serum sialic acid elevations were associated with malignant melanoma, and second, if there was a relationship between tumor burden and serum sialic acid level. Significantly elevated sialic acid concentrations were found in the melanoma patients (p < 0.005), and levels tended to be greater in those with a large tumor burden (p < 0.05). Thus, increased serum sialic acid could prove to be a valuable clinical monitor of change in tumor burden as a result of therapy or change due to recurrence of disease following treatment.

Melanocytic nevus density in Asian, Indo-Pakistani, and white children: The Vancouver Mole Study

Melanocytic nevus density in 378 Asian and 68 Indo-Pakistani school children 6 to 18 years of age was compared with that in 1146 white children of the same age range. At all ages, the number of melanocytic nevi 2 mm or larger per square meter of body surface area was substantially lower in Asians and Indo-Pakistanis than in white persons. Among white persons characteristics associated with a higher risk of cutaneous melanoma in adults, that is, light skin color, a propensity to burn rather than tan in the sun, and a history of numerous or severe sunburns, are also associated with the highest melanocytic nevus density in children. Examination of these same host pigmentation and sunburn factors among Asian children revealed no association with nevus density.