Blocking Inflammatory Pathway May Stop Brain Metastasis from Melanoma
Source: Pharmacy Times, November 2019
Melanoma brain metastasis occurs when tumor cells hijack an inflammatory pathway in the brain and blocking this pathway could prevent metastasis from developing, according to a new study by Tel Aviv University.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, metastatic brain tumors occur when tumors spread to the brain from a primary neoplasm located in another part of the body.2 Historically, patients were more likely to die from a metastatic tumor on another part of the body before a metastatic brain tumor was evident. However, since cancer treatments are improving and patients are living longer, there is a greater incidence of diagnosed brain metastasis.
The study, published in Cell Reports, focused on melanoma brain metastasis, because melanoma has one of the highest rates of mortality and metastasis, occurring frequently in the brain, according to the researchers.