Cell line models identify cause of melanoma with drug resistance
Source: Medical Xpress, October 2024
Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates from melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing skin pigment, and is known as the most lethal form of skin cancer due to its high rates of metastasis and recurrence. With the global trend of aging populations, the number of melanoma patients is rapidly increasing, and it is projected that by 2040, approximately 100,000 people worldwide will die from melanoma annually.
In clinical practice, melanoma is currently treated with targeted therapies that inhibit the BRAF oncogene. However, drug resistance to BRAF inhibitors develops quickly, limiting the effectiveness of these treatments.
A research team led by Dr. Tackhoon Kim at the Center for Medicinal Materials Research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology has identified a new key mechanism behind the resistance of melanoma to BRAF inhibitors and has proposed a strategy to develop new anticancer therapies to overcome this resistance. The findings are published in the journal Molecular Cancer.