Inhibiting a gene provides a new weapon to fight treatment-resistant melanoma
Source: MedicalXpress, February 2025
The lab of The Wistar Institute’s Jessie Villanueva, Ph.D., has identified a new strategy for attacking treatment-resistant melanoma: inhibiting the gene S6K2. The team has published their findings in a paper titled “Selective abrogation of S6K2 identifies lipid homeostasis as a survival vulnerability in MAPKi-resistant NRASMUT melanoma" in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
“This work shows that even in the face of notoriously treatment-resistant melanoma, targeting S6K2 is a viable strategy for improving therapeutic outcomes," said Dr. Villanueva, associate professor at Wistar’s Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center. “We’re excited to see where further research will lead us in the continued fight to reduce deaths from melanoma."
Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer, and it is also on the rise. Since 2000, the number of melanoma cases per 100,000 Americans has increased from roughly 18 to 24, which scientists suspect to be at least partially caused by increased exposure to UV radiation from sources like time spent without protection in sunlight or the use of tanning beds. In general, cancer tends to be a disease correlated with age, but melanoma is notable as one of the most common cancers diagnosed in people under 30, with cases on the rise in that age cohort as well.