Israeli scientists say they can block melanoma spread
Israeli scientists say they can block melanoma spread
By Sylvain Thomas, AFP, August 24, 2016
© Provided by AFP Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays is believed to be the leading cause of melanoma
Israeli scientists have uncovered how the most severe form of skin cancer spreads to other organs in a discovery that could revolutionise treatment of the disease, they said Tuesday.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that melanoma, the most aggressive of all skin cancers, was able to send out tiny vesicles -- small cysts or blisters -- containing the disease to other parts of the body.
They were then able to develop substances to prevent the spread of the disease, which "may serve as promising candidates for future drugs" the researchers said in a statement.
"Our study is an important step on the road to a full remedy," lead researcher Carmit Levy wrote.
"We hope that our findings will help turn melanoma into a non-threatening, easily curable disease," she added.
"The threat of melanoma is not in the initial tumour that appears on the skin," wrote Levy, of the university's Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry.
"Rather (the threat is) in its metastasis -- in the tumour cells sent off to colonise in vital organs like the brain, lungs, liver and bones.
"We have discovered how the cancer spreads to distant organs and found ways to stop the process before the metastatic stage," Levy added.
The research was published in the Nature Cell Biology scientific journal and carried out in conjunction with German cancer specialists and others.
Melanomas are usually black or brown marks on the skin.
If caught in early stages, survival rates are relatively high but once it spreads it is often fatal.
In the United States, more than 75,000 melanomas are expected to be discovered this year, with more than 10,000 people dying as a result, according to the American Cancer Society.
Click this link to see the original article and watch the video explanation of the development of melanoma cancer:
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All supporters of BDS should be banned from taking advantage of this. They can all get melanoma and let it spread as far as I am concerned.
Dear Friend Buzz: Great news.
Super seed.
Thanks for sharing and the enlightenment.
E.
Amazing News!
This is a real game changer.
Until this summer, when I got dxed with Basal Cell Carcinoma, how insidious a disease that we can so plainly see can be. It should be noted that anyone who was a sun lover and had more than 2 bad sunburns, should have full body checks by a dermo at least once a year. It could be a lifesaver.
full body checks by a dermo at least once a year
I do that without fail, my Dad and brother both had tiny melanomas removed. And I have a friend who went through hell with one on her leg.
Pat,
I hope everyone is OK with your friends and family. I am among those who are now going through full body checks...
Maybe, one day when I have the guts, I'll post my picture after my visit to the Mohs surgeon and on my way to the plastic surgeon to get the 2 inch hole in my face fixed. That should scare a few people into taking care of themselves.
Hope this spreads!!! I might be needing it. As a child and into adulthood I didn't know anyone who had a better tan than I did. If the sun was out, so was I in nothing but a pair of shorts. I see a dermatologist every six months. I look like I've been shot with an assault BB rifle for a day or two after my appointment. Well, maybe not quite that bad.
Six,
Better to look like a target and come out with a clean bill of health (or a small cancer caught early), then go through what Pat is describing.
Huh?
Great news....