Researchers have developed a new non-invasive technique which can accurately detect malignant melanoma without a biopsy.
The report, published online in Nature Scientific Reports today (August 11), showed that a special technique using a laser to detect the subtle differences in blood flow beneath the skin enabled researchers to tell the difference between malignant melanoma and non-cancerous moles.
Recipients of organ transplants undergo immunosuppressive therapy to avoid rejection of their new organs. The high dose of immunosuppressant drugs intends to inhibit patients’ immune system towards the transplanted organ. As a side effect, these patients also have an increased risk of developing other cancers. “We knew that melanoma was more likely in transplant recipients, but we thought it might be a function of intensive screening since they are very likely to develop less deadly forms of skin cancer and are checked regularly by dermatologists,” said Hilary A. Robbins, the first author of this study, in a press release.
Researchers at Sydney’s Centenary Institute have taken the lead on a promising new class of drugs that may prove to be highly effective for the treatment of certain cases of melanoma.
Researchers found a low number of adverse events after analyzing the histogenesis and clinical behavior of combined cutaneous tumors with a melanoma component.
