Emerging researchers working to effectively treat skin cancer
Source: UCT News, February 2025
South Africa experiences one of the highest rates of skin cancer globally, with 20 000 new skin cancer cases and 700 related deaths annually, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation of South Africa. Melanoma skin cancer is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers and while it accounts for only 1% of skin cancers it is responsible for 80% of skin cancer deaths. Furthermore, it accounts for only 1.7% of all cancers diagnosed, but 20% of overall global deaths from cancer.
In the wake of SunSmart Skin Cancer Awareness Month and World Cancer Day we focus on the work of two young researchers: Dr Mohsin Khan of the Division of Cell Biology and PhD candidate, Suzanne Magagoum in the Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit. Both are working on early-stage, proof-of-concept research to develop innovative targeted treatments to fight this scourge.
Repurposing commercially available drugs for the targeted treatment of melanoma
Getting a new drug to the market is a lengthy, costly and challenging process, and often not successful. But many of the existing commercially available drugs have unexplored potential and may be effective in the fight against melanoma. Dr Khan, working under the supervision of Professor Sharon Prince in the Department of Human Biology, in collaboration with the Goding Laboratory based at the Ludwig Cancer Research Centre at the University of Oxford, made use of a library of available drugs to test if any show potential to stop melanoma from spreading.