Figure 1.

Clinical primary and metastatic melanoma samples procured and cryopreserved at the time of surgery. A: Intraoperative illustrations of the spectrum of PCM and MM samples procured. The PCM represents varying tumor thicknesses, measured utilizing Breslow's depth of invasion. All procured lymph node metastases were macroscopically involved, often completely replacing the entire lymph node parenchyma. Distant metastatic (subcutaneous and solid organ) melanoma often exhibited varying degrees of pigmentation, however, surrounding stroma was avoided in procurement of melanoma samples. B: A distinct change in the gene expression patterns is apparent within the comparative groups of thin/I.M. to thick PCM samples. Gene over-expression (upper graph) is evident at the I.M. thickness sample set, with an average Breslow's tumor thickness of 2.1 mm and 19 mm for thick melanomas. Contrary, there is a decrease in gene expression (lower graph) of the same set of genes, with a comparative difference in gene down-regulation evident at the same interphase of I.M. to thick PCM. Proceeding from left to right: normal skin, BCC, SCC, MIS, I.M., thick primary, metastatic melanoma (subcutaneous, lymph node and distant) and melanoma cell lines derived from patients with stage IV melanoma.