DRUG COMPOUND STOPS HARD-TO-TREAT MELANOMA

Source: Futurity, March 2019

Scientists have figured out a way to stop the progression of a particularly voracious type of melanoma, according to a new study.


Damaging effects of ultraviolet light—from sources like sunlight and tanning beds—commonly cause melanoma on the DNA of skin cells. This UV damage can activate genes that encourage precancerous cells to further mutate into full-blown skin cancer. At the same time, UV damage can turn off other genes that would normally prevent tumor growth.

With enough wrongly flipped switches, cancer can flourish. And melanoma is certainly flourishing. This year alone, doctors will diagnose 96,480 new instances of melanoma in the United States and 7,230 Americans will die from the disease.

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