Nanodiamonds can block tumor metastasis in mice, study shows

Nanodiamonds are 2–8 nm carbon nanoparticles, which can be easily functionalized with various chemical groups like carboxylic groups or drugs. Previous research has shown that actively dividing cells are more likely to ...

Combination therapy shown to be effective against canine melanoma

Melanomas are the most common oral cancers in dogs. They are highly metastatic and conventional chemotherapy does not increase survival time. Canine oral melanomas are similar to human melanomas; thus, research is being conducted ...

New algorithm cleans microbiome data with unprecedented efficiency

None of us are born with a fully functioning immune system, and the first few months of life are crucial for establishing strong lifelong defenses. Better understanding how germs influence the development of human immunology ...

Inhibiting key metabolic enzyme shows promise against melanoma

Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys, led by Ze'ev Ronai, Ph.D., have shown for the first time that inhibiting a key metabolic enzyme selectively kills melanoma cells and stops tumor growth. Published in Nature Cell Biology, ...

How a protein breaks free to cause deadly cancers

Better treatments for some of cancer's deadliest forms could be closer due to a University of California, Irvine-led discovery about how a certain protein is activated in tumor cells. The finding, spearheaded by researchers ...

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Melanoma

Melanoma i/ˌmɛləˈnoʊmə/ (from Greek μέλας - melas, "dark") is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye (see uveal melanoma). Melanoma can occur in any part of the body that contains melanocytes.

Melanoma is less common than other skin cancers. However, it is much more dangerous and causes the majority (75%) of deaths related to skin cancer. Worldwide, doctors diagnose about 160,000 new cases of melanoma yearly. The diagnosis is more frequent in women than in men and is particularly common among Caucasians living in sunny climates, with high rates of incidence in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Latin America, and northern Europe. According to a WHO report, about 48,000 melanoma related deaths occur worldwide per year.

The treatment includes surgical removal of the tumor, adjuvant treatment, chemo- and immunotherapy, or radiation therapy. The chance of a cure is greatest when the tumor is discovered while it is still small and thin, and can be entirely removed surgically.

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