Lipid composition of human malignant melanoma tumors at various levels of malignant growth.

The lipid pattern of thirteen human melanoma tumors from various tissues were investigated. In seven of the tumors, an estimate was given about the proportion of malignant melanocytes to the total cell population, and a reverse correlation was determined between the proportion of malignant cells in these tumors and their neutral lipid content. The phospholipids did not show any modification, nor did the cholesterol in the cancerous tissues. The ganglioside pattern was found to be similar in all analyzed samples, with GM3, GM2 and GD3 as major components, although no correlation was found between the malignant level and the ganglioside content of the tumors.