METHOD OF PREDICTING CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR MELANOMA PATIENTS USING CIRCULATING MELANOMA CELLS IN BLOOD

摘要

The present invention provides an automated method for capturing and detecting circulating melanoma cells (CMC's) in the blood of patients with melanoma. The absolute number of circulating melanoma cells detected in the peripheral blood tumor load is, in part, a factor in prediction of survival, time to progression, and response to therapy.