Oncology & Cancer

Melanoma survival linked to tumor thickness

Researchers at The University of Sydney have identified a significant increase in melanoma-related death risk for patients with thin primary tumors measuring between 0.8 and 1.0 millimeters compared to those with thinner ...

Oncology & Cancer

How melanoma cells escape oxidative stress to metastasize

Investigators from Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered a defense mechanism that protects skin cancer cells from oxidative stress and helps them spread. The findings suggest a new drug target that could lead to therapies ...

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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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