Melanoma
hideMelanoma (pronounced /ˌmɛləˈnoʊmə/ ( listen)) is a malignant tumor of melanocytes which are found predominantly in skin but also in the bowel and the eye (see uveal melanoma). It is one of the less common types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths. Malignant melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer. It is due to uncontrolled growth of pigment cells, called melanocytes. Despite many years of intensive laboratory and clinical research, the sole effective cure is surgical resection of the primary tumor before it achieves a Breslow thickness greater than 1 mm.
Around 160,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed nationally each year, and it is more frequent in males and Caucasians. It is more common in Caucasian populations living in sunny climates than in other groups. According to a WHO report about 48,000 melanoma related deaths occur worldwide per year.
Malignant melanoma accounts for 75 percent of all deaths associated with skin cancer.
The treatment includes surgical removal of the tumor, adjuvant treatment, chemo- and immunotherapy, or radiation therapy.
For more information about Melanoma, read the full article at
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News tagged with melanoma
Laser therapy can aggravate skin cancer
Nov 20, 2009 |
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High irradiances of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) should not be used over melanomas. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Cancer studied the pain relieving, anti-inflammatory 'cold laser', finding that it cau ...
Hundreds of genes distinguish patients likely to survive advanced melanoma
Nov 09, 2009 |
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Although the chances of surviving advanced melanoma aren't very good with current therapies, some patients can live for years with cancer that has spread beyond the skin to other organs. Now it may be possible to identify ...
Text message reminders can encourage healthy action
Nov 16, 2009 |
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People who received daily text messages reminding them to apply sunscreen were nearly twice as likely to use it as those who did not receive such messages, a new study led by a UC Davis Health System dermatologist has found. ...
Study: Cancer may pass from mother to unborn child
Oct 14, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study has provided genetic evidence for the first time that it is possible for a mother to transmit cancer to her unborn child via the placenta.
Quarter of a million children in England at risk of skin cancer from sunbeds
Nov 12, 2009 |
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An estimated quarter of a million 11-17 year olds in England are being put at increased risk of developing malignant melanoma by using sunbeds, warn researchers in a letter to this week's BMJ.
Germany bans solariums for under-18s
Jun 19, 2009 |
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The German lower house of parliament on Friday passed a law banning under-18s from going to solariums because of the risks of developing skin cancer.
New melanoma tumor suppressor gene uncovered
Mar 29, 2009 |
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have identified a gene that suppresses tumor growth in melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The finding is reported today in the journal Nature Genetics as part of a s ...
Study provides insights into the molecular basis of tumor cell behavior
Nov 05, 2009 |
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A new study by a team of researchers led by Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, sheds light on the molecular basis by which tumor cells modulate their surroundings ...
Study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer
Aug 31, 2009 |
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Drawing on the power of DNA sequencing, National Institutes of Health researchers have identified a new group of genetic mutations involved in the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma. This discovery is particularly encouraging ...
EphA4 -- the molecular transformer
Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry
Oct 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- EphA4 is a protein which is attached to the surfaces of many types of human cells and plays a role in a wide range of biological processes. EphA4 functions by binding to ephrin ligands, cell ...
Vegetable-based drug could inhibit melanoma
Mar 01, 2009 |
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Compounds extracted from green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage could be a potent drug against melanoma, according to cancer researchers. Tests on mice suggest that these compounds, when combined with selenium, target ...
Targeted nanospheres find, penetrate, then fuel burning of melanoma
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Feb 02, 2009 |
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Hollow gold nanospheres equipped with a targeting peptide find melanoma cells, penetrate them deeply, and then cook the tumor when bathed with near-infrared light, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas ...
Vaccine shows therapeutic promise against advanced melanoma
Jun 01, 2009 |
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A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers ...
Melanoma treatment options one step closer
Oct 20, 2009 |
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A targeted chemotherapy for the treatment of skin cancer is one step closer, after a team of University of Alberta researchers successfully synthesized a natural substance that shows exceptional potential to specifically ...
Melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, is rising rapidly in the United States
Mar 04, 2009 |
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Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has increased rapidly in the United States in recent years, a new study reveals. Some experts have argued that the rising rates are merely a result of expanded screening, which ...
