Expression of PRAME in conjunctival melanocytic lesions
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Expression of PRAME protein (immunohistochemistry) and PRAME mRNA (quantitative expression) in conjunctival melanocytic lesions.
IRAS ID
292379
Contact name
HARDEEP SINGH MUDHAR
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, days
Research summary
Conjunctival melanoma is a malignant tumour of the conujunctiva. Ocular oncologists take biopsies from the conjunctiva for suspected melanoma and the pathologist then confirms the diagnosis. Sometimes, the pathologist can be challenged by tumours that don’t conform to the usual appearances at the microscope. It can be sometimes difficult to distinguish a benign melanocytic tumour from a malignant one. Getting this distinction correct is crucial because a benign diagnosis means discharge , wheras a malignant diagnosis will trigger lifelong follow up. The existing test to make the distinction between benign and malignant (a FISH test) is expensive and very time consuming.
Pathologists can apply antibodies to thin sections of the tumour in the pathology lab that can help in making the distinction between benign and malignant melanocytic tumours. One such antibody is called PRAME. PRAME antibody staining has shown recent promise in skin melanoma (similar in behaviour to conjunctival melanoma) in making the distinction between benign and malignant skin melanocytic tumours and the hope is that it will show similar potential in the conjunctiva.
The project will firstly involve applying PRAME antibody to controls cases of known benign and malignant conjunctival melanocytic tumours and to also study the expression of the PRAME gene by quantitative PCR. Then, difficult cases of conjunctival melanocytic tumours that were previously exposed to the older FISH test will be stained for PRAME and mRNA analysis and these outcomes compared to the FISH results.REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SW/0042
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion