Suppression of the phosphorylation of the protein S6 after the initiation of RAF inhibitor therapy may serve as a functional biomarker to guide the treatment of patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma, according to study results presented at the International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.
MRV Research
Melanoma switches phenotypes to become metastatic and drug-resistant
Phenotype switching may be involved in changing the appearance of melanoma tumors by altering the number and type of protein receptors that dot the surface of the individual melanoma cells within a tumor. Identifying the phenotype that patients exhibit may help determine which patients are more likely to benefit from existing medications while also providing an opportunity to create new targeted therapies.
Blood test reveals skin cancer spread
A simple blood test could be used to identify patients whose melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer – has started to spread to other parts of the body, according to research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool.
Vaccine fails to improve outcomes of stage 2 melonoma
An attempt to positively affect stage 2 melanomas with a certain vaccine didn’t prove beneficial in a recent study by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).
In the study, 657 patients with stage 2 melanomas thicker than 1.5 mm were vaccinated with GM2-KLH-QS21, and an observation group had another 657 patients with stage 2 melanomas who did not receive vaccinations,