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According to a new study published in the journal Cancer Discovery, scientists have found that chemical signalling molecules called TNF alpha, produced by certain type of immune cells called macrophages, are involved in survival of tumours in melanoma. Therefore, blocking the production of these signalling molecules by the immune cells may hold the key to treat tumours.
Our study shows that immune cells can actually help these melanoma cells to survive,' said Claudia Wellbrock, a cancer research scientist at University of Manchester and member of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. During the treatment of patients, immune cells produce more of the survival signal which makes treatment less effective.
When melanoma patients are treated only with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it causes inflammation and increases the number of macrophages in the body, thus raising the levels of TNF alpha that helps survival of these tumours. According to Wellbrock, a combination of standard cancer treatment along with immunotherapy could potentially provide long-lasting and effective treatments to increase survival in melanoma patients.
What is melanoma?
Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin the pigment that colours our skin. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that originates in melanocytes. It is a less common, but most dangerous form of skin cancer and can originate in any part of the body that contains the skin pigment producing cells. The main cause of skin cancer is exposure to the ultraviolet radiation from sun. Roughly 10 percent of melanomas are familial i.e. they occur in the family members. Individuals with dysplastic or atypical nevi (irregular bordered mole-like growth on skin) carry a 20-fold more risk of developing malignant melanoma. High nevus counts (more than 25) and indoor tanning beds are the other risk factors. According to a study, sun tanning craze has caused a marked increase in melanoma cases in women between 40 to 50 years of age.
With inputs from IANS
Image source: Getty images
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