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What does MART-1 positive mean?
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What does MART-1 positive mean?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › What does MART-1 positive mean?

  • Post
    • September 11, 2012 at 3:38 am
    frankMill
    Participant

      I just had a stage IV melanoma surgically removed from my chest last week.   Trying to learn as much about melanoma as I can. My melanoma is  MART-1 positive.  What is this?  Trying to get into the PD1 trial at Moffitt.  Is having MART-1 positive good or bad?

      I just had a stage IV melanoma surgically removed from my chest last week.   Trying to learn as much about melanoma as I can. My melanoma is  MART-1 positive.  What is this?  Trying to get into the PD1 trial at Moffitt.  Is having MART-1 positive good or bad?

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    • Replies
        • September 11, 2012 at 3:45 am
        Janner
        Participant

          MART-1 has nothing to do with prognosis or treatment.  It is basically a staining tool to identify melanoma cells in a tissue sample.  Having MART-1 positive means melanocytes showed up on the sample and the pathology can confirm melanoma.  MART-1 is specific to melanoma so when cells stain positive, there are melanocytes there.  It also shows normal melanocytes, but if it stains positive in a tissue sample that shouldn't contain melanocytes (tumors), then you have a key to diagnosis.

          • September 11, 2012 at 3:45 am
          Janner
          Participant

            MART-1 has nothing to do with prognosis or treatment.  It is basically a staining tool to identify melanoma cells in a tissue sample.  Having MART-1 positive means melanocytes showed up on the sample and the pathology can confirm melanoma.  MART-1 is specific to melanoma so when cells stain positive, there are melanocytes there.  It also shows normal melanocytes, but if it stains positive in a tissue sample that shouldn't contain melanocytes (tumors), then you have a key to diagnosis.

            • September 11, 2012 at 3:45 am
            Janner
            Participant

              MART-1 has nothing to do with prognosis or treatment.  It is basically a staining tool to identify melanoma cells in a tissue sample.  Having MART-1 positive means melanocytes showed up on the sample and the pathology can confirm melanoma.  MART-1 is specific to melanoma so when cells stain positive, there are melanocytes there.  It also shows normal melanocytes, but if it stains positive in a tissue sample that shouldn't contain melanocytes (tumors), then you have a key to diagnosis.

              • September 11, 2012 at 3:36 pm
              MichaelFL
              Participant

                 

                MART-1 (Melanoma Antigen Recognized by T cells) is a protein expressed on the surface of melanocytes and is almost always present in melanoma cells.

                • September 11, 2012 at 3:36 pm
                MichaelFL
                Participant

                   

                  MART-1 (Melanoma Antigen Recognized by T cells) is a protein expressed on the surface of melanocytes and is almost always present in melanoma cells.

                  • September 11, 2012 at 3:36 pm
                  MichaelFL
                  Participant

                     

                    MART-1 (Melanoma Antigen Recognized by T cells) is a protein expressed on the surface of melanocytes and is almost always present in melanoma cells.

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