Novel Intercellular Signaling Mechanisms Promote Melanoma Growth
Source: News Center, September 2023
Investigators led by Kathleen Green, PhD, the Joseph L. Mayberry, Sr., Professor of Pathology and Toxicology, have discovered novel intercellular “crosstalk” between epidermal keratinocytes and melanoma cells that promote cancer growth and metastasis.
These signaling mechanisms could also serve as biomarkers for early cancer detection, according to the Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Cell Biology.
More than 90,000 cases of melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer, will be diagnosed this year alone, according to annual estimates from the American Cancer Society. While melanoma is less commonly diagnosed than other types of skin cancer, it is more likely to grow and metastasize if not detected early.