Melanoma

Melanoma is a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

What are Melanomas?

The treatment of melanoma may involve surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or a combination of several treatment techniques. Each of these treatments is outlined below.

Melanoma Symptoms and Cause

How is Melanoma Diagnosed and Treated?

Melanoma Prognosis

Melanoma Epidemiology

Melanoma History

Melanoma Research

Choroidal Melanoma

Managing Choroidal Melanomas

Malignant Melanoma

Metastatic Melanoma

Latest Melanoma News and Research

Efficacy of polymeric nano-micelles depends on expression level of c-Myc

The Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (Director General: Prof. Kazunori Kataoka, Location: Kawasaki in Japan, Abbreviation: iCONM) reported in ACS Nano (Impact Factor: 14.588 in 2019) together with the group of Prof. Yu Matsumoto of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (Prof. Tatsuya Yamasoba) and the group of Prof. Horacio Cabral of the Department of Bioengineering (Prof. Ryo Miyake) in the University of Tokyo that the efficacy of polymeric nano-micelles with different drug activation profile depends on the expression level of c-Myc, one of the major proto-oncogene, has been developed.

27 Feb 2021

Tumors use unique mechanism to switch on regulatory T cells for protection

Immunologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that tumors use a unique mechanism to switch on regulatory T cells to protect themselves from attack by the immune system.

24 Feb 2021

Transforming immune killer T-cells into 'super soldiers' to fight against cancer

Creating "super soldiers" of specific white blood cells to boost an anti-tumour response has been shown in a series of elegant experiments by Princess Margaret researchers.

20 Feb 2021

Combination therapy produces clinical benefit for early stage non-small cell lung cancer

he first randomized Phase II clinical trial to report on single and combined neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found combination therapy produced a significant clinical benefit, as assessed by major pathologic response (MPR) rate, as well as enhanced tumor immune cell infiltration and immunological memory.

18 Feb 2021

Novel hydrogel slowly releases RNA nanovaccines to shrink tumors

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines to prevent COVID-19 have made headlines around the world recently, but scientists have also been working on mRNA vaccines to treat or prevent other diseases, including some forms of cancer.

17 Feb 2021

Mathematical model reveals how cell turnover determines the success of adaptive therapy

One of the most challenging issues in cancer therapy is the development of drug resistance and subsequent disease progression.

17 Feb 2021

New system distinguishes suspicious pigmented lesions from non-suspicious ones

Melanoma is by far the deadliest form of skin cancer, killing more than 7,000 people in the United States in 2019 alone.

17 Feb 2021

Changes to gut microbiome help melanoma patients respond to immunotherapy

Statistical modeling developed by Oregon State University researchers has confirmed that changes to melanoma patients' gut microbiome led them to respond to a type of treatment capable of providing long-term benefit.

16 Feb 2021

Research shows how chemicals in the tumor microenvironment enable cancer to evade attack

A paper published today in Nature shows how chemicals in the areas surrounding tumors--known as the tumor microenvironment--subvert the immune system and enable cancer to evade attack. These findings suggest that an existing drug could boost cancer immunotherapy.

15 Feb 2021

Scientists discover new immunotherapy target for malignant brain tumors

Scientists say they have discovered a potential new target for immunotherapy of malignant brain tumors, which so far have resisted the ground-breaking cancer treatment based on harnessing the body's immune system.

15 Feb 2021

RIG-1-like receptors may play dominant role in suppressing SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study by researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center, USA, reports the crucial nature of the pathogen pattern recognition receptor (PRRs), especially the two RLRs, retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), in triggering host cell immune responses within the cell. The RLRs are viral RNA sensors.

15 Feb 2021

Algorithm for skin cancer diagnosis performs on par with dermatologists

A study has now been presented that boosts the evidence for using AI solutions in skin cancer diagnostics.

13 Feb 2021

Scientists avert drug resistance in subtype of brain tumors

In far too many cases over the years, scientists have discovered promising new cancer treatments, only to report later that the tumor cells found ways to become resistant. These disappointing results have made overcoming drug resistance a major goal in cancer research.

11 Feb 2021

New gut microbiome-based approach may have translational potential for cancer immunotherapy

Scientists from Nanjing University and the University of Macau have devised a new approach to extend the survival of transplanted probiotics in vivo, enhancing the efficacy of cancer chemo-/immunotherapies in mice.

11 Feb 2021

Modified CRISPR/Cas9 complex targets specific histones

Finding a needle in a haystack is hard enough. But try finding a specific molecule on the needle.

9 Feb 2021

Fecal transplant overcomes resistance to immunotherapy in melanoma patients

Researchers at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute demonstrate that changing the gut microbiome can transform patients with advanced melanoma who never responded to immunotherapy-;which has a failure rate of 40% for this type of cancer-;into patients who do.

5 Feb 2021

Biomarkers could help discriminate cancer therapy-associated kidney injury from other causes

A study by Mayo Clinic researchers published in Kidney International Reports finds that immune checkpoint inhibitors, may have negative consequences in some patients, including acute kidney inflammation, known as interstitial nephritis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are used to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system to attack cancerous cells.

3 Feb 2021