Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31218705›Full record

ArticleJournal of cutaneous pathology2019

Cancer-testis antigens as biomarkers for Merkel cell carcinoma: Pitfalls and opportunities.

Bahar Dasgeb, Darius Mehregan, Christina Ring, Nathan Nartker, Isaac Brownell

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cutaneous pathology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. IGF2BP3 As a Prognostic Biomarker and Regulator of Metastasis in Merkel Cell Carcinoma.JID innovations : skin science from molecules to population health · 2025
    Article
  3. Cancer/Testis Antigens as Targets for RNA-Based Anticancer Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Bahar DasgebDepartment of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Darius MehreganDepartment of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.
Christina RingDepartment of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3173-1319
Nathan NartkerDepartment of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.
Isaac BrownellDermatology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0090-9914
Thomas Jefferson University · USWayne State University · USNational Institutes of Health · US

Funding

Molecular pathogenesis of Merkel cell carcinomaZIABC011394 · NCI · DIVISION OF BASIC SCIENCES - NCI · PI BROWNELL, ISAAC · 2011 to 2021
$6.8M
Ipilimumab for treatment of advanced Merkel cell carcinomaZIABC011450 · NCI · DIVISION OF BASIC SCIENCES - NCI · PI BROWNELL, ISAAC · 2012 to 2021
$1.0M
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA BC011394Intramural NIH HHS ZIA BC011450
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prognosis and treatment options for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) are poor. The immune-privileged status of cancer-testis (CT) antigens imparts tumor specificity, making them ideal candidates for targeted immunotherapy. We investigate the usefulness of the CT antigens SPA17 (sperm protein-17 [SP-17]), IGF2BP3 (insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein 3 [IMP-3]), and transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like and two follistatin-like domains 1 (TMEFF1) as potential MCC biomarkers and evaluate their possible utility in immunotherapy and molecularly targeted image-guided treatment.

methodsThe CT antigens SP-17, IMP-3, and TMEFF1 were selected using transcriptome profiling to identify CT antigens expressed in MCC tumors. Antibodies directed against these CT antigens were stained. Twelve normal skin tissue samples were used as a control. The average percentage of positive cells in each tumor was computed.

resultsTwelve of 14 (86%) MCC cases showed crisp nuclear staining for SP-17, with 2.06% of cells staining positive. IMP-3 showed crisp, perinuclear staining in all 14 MCC cases, with 52.93% MCC cells staining positive. TMEFF1 showed perinuclear staining in all 14 MCC cases, with 96.51% of tumor cells staining positive.

conclusionsCT antigens were found to be expressed in both MCC and some control tissues. SP-17 was the most specific yet the least sensitive. IMP-3 and TMEFF1 were both sensitive but not specific. CT antigens may represent valuable treatment targets in MCC.

Indexed as

Antigens, NeoplasmBiomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, Merkel CellSkin NeoplasmsTesticular NeoplasmsCell Line, TumorHumansMaleAntigens, NeoplasmBiomarkers, TumorimmunohistochemistryIMP-3Merkel cell carcinomaSP-17TMEFF1

Identifiers

PMID31218705
PMCPMC8130841
OpenAlexW2951200858

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.