Scientists develop new technique to spot melanoma skin cancer
While melanoma is less common than some other types of skin cancer, it is most serious as it often spreads.
Researchers have developed a new way to spot melanoma skin cancer cells circulating in the blood that can raise detection rates to 72 per cent. The research could provide a new avenue for cancer diagnosis and therapies.
The research team is led by Elin Gray, Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University in Australia. They tried a multifaceted approach to detecting melanoma circulating tumour cells (CTCs) by combining three assays together.
Until now melanoma circulating tumour cells have proved to be incredibly elusive, with detection rates wildly varying from 40 to 87 per cent.
The researchers are hopeful that these preliminary findings could lead to the development of a powerful diagnostic tool and a new way to stop melanoma from spreading around the body.
Melanoma skin cancer: Causes and types
While melanoma is less common than some other types of skin cancer, it is most serious as it often spreads. This cancer occurs when pigment producing cells called melanocytes mutate and begin to divide uncontrollably.
Melanomas can develop anywhere on the skin, but they are most likely to affect the chest, back, face and legs. While legs are the most common site in women, this cancer is most likely to affect the chest and back in men. However, melanoma can also occur in the eyes and other parts of the body, including the intestines (though it happens rarely).
There are four types of melanoma: Superficial spreading melanoma, Nodular melanoma, Lentigo maligna melanoma and Acral lentiginous melanoma.
Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common type of melanoma, and it often appears on the trunk or limbs.
Lentigo maligna melanoma are common in older adults, especially in parts of the body that have had excessive sun exposure over several years, like the face.
Risk factors for melanoma include:
Overexposure to the sun
Having fair skin
A family history of melanoma
a high number of moles
a previous organ transplant
the presence of actinic lentigines, also known as liver spots or age spots
older age
Of these risk factors, only sun exposure is preventable. So, avoid overexposure to the sun and prevent sunburn to lower your risk of skin cancer. If you see any changing or growing moles, get it checked as soon as possible.
Researchers have developed a new way to spot melanoma skin cancer cells circulating in the blood that can raise detection rates to 72 per cent. The research could provide a new avenue for cancer diagnosis and therapies.
The research team is led by Elin Gray, Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University in Australia. They tried a multifaceted approach to detecting melanoma circulating tumour cells (CTCs) by combining three assays together.
Until now melanoma circulating tumour cells have proved to be incredibly elusive, with detection rates wildly varying from 40 to 87 per cent.
The researchers are hopeful that these preliminary findings could lead to the development of a powerful diagnostic tool and a new way to stop melanoma from spreading around the body.
Melanoma skin cancer: Causes and types
While melanoma is less common than some other types of skin cancer, it is most serious as it often spreads. This cancer occurs when pigment producing cells called melanocytes mutate and begin to divide uncontrollably.
Melanomas can develop anywhere on the skin, but they are most likely to affect the chest, back, face and legs. While legs are the most common site in women, this cancer is most likely to affect the chest and back in men. However, melanoma can also occur in the eyes and other parts of the body, including the intestines (though it happens rarely).
There are four types of melanoma: Superficial spreading melanoma, Nodular melanoma, Lentigo maligna melanoma and Acral lentiginous melanoma.
Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common type of melanoma, and it often appears on the trunk or limbs.
Lentigo maligna melanoma are common in older adults, especially in parts of the body that have had excessive sun exposure over several years, like the face.
Risk factors for melanoma include:
Overexposure to the sun
Having fair skin
A family history of melanoma
a high number of moles
a previous organ transplant
the presence of actinic lentigines, also known as liver spots or age spots
older age
Of these risk factors, only sun exposure is preventable. So, avoid overexposure to the sun and prevent sunburn to lower your risk of skin cancer. If you see any changing or growing moles, get it checked as soon as possible.