Genetic Causes of Melanoma

Early signs of melanoma are changes to the shape or color of existing moles. The mole may itch, ulcerate or bleed. Metastatic melanoma may cause general symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Metastasis as the first symptom of melanoma is possible; however, fortunately less than a fifth of melanomas diagnosed early become metastatic.

Familial melanoma is genetically heterogeneous, and loci for familial melanoma have been identified on the chromosome arms 1p, 9p and 12q. Multiple genetic events have been related to the pathogenesis of melanoma. The multiple tumor suppressor 1 (CDKN2A/MTS1) gene encodes p16INK4a -- a low-molecular weight protein inhibitor of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) -- which has been localised to the p21 region of human chromosome 9.

Today, melanomas are diagnosed only after they become visible on the skin. In the future, however, physicians will hopefully be able detect melanomas based on a patient’s genotype, not just his or her phenotype. Recent genetic advances promise to help doctors to identify people with high-risk genotypes and to determine which of a person’s lesions have the greatest chance of becoming cancerous.

A number of rare mutations, which often run in families, are known to greatly increase one’s susceptibility to melanoma. One class of mutations affects the gene CDKN2A. An alternative reading frame mutation in this gene leads to the destabilization of p53, a transcription factor involved in apoptosis and in fifty percent of human cancers.

Another mutation in the same gene results in a non-functional inhibitor of CDK4, a cyclin-dependent kinase that promotes cell division. Mutations that cause the skin condition Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) also seriously predispose one to melanoma. Scattered throughout the genome, these mutations reduce a cell’s ability to repair DNA. Both CDKN2A and XP mutations are highly penetrant.

Other mutations confer lower risk but are more prevalent in the population. People with mutations in the MC1R gene, for example, are two to four times more likely to develop melanoma than those with two wild-type copies of the gene. MC1R mutations are very common; in fact, all people with red hair have a mutated copy of the gene.

Two-gene models of melanoma risk have already been created, and in the future, researchers hope to create genome-scale models that will allow them to predict a patient’s risk of developing melanoma based on his or her genotype. In addition to identifying high-risk patients, researchers also want to identify high-risk lesions within a given patient.

Many new technologies, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), are being developed to accomplish this. OCT allows pathologists to view 3-D reconstructions of the skin and offers more resolution than past techniques could provide. In vivo confocal microscopy and fluorescently tagged antibodies are also proving to be valuable diagnostic tools. Mutation of the MDM2 SNP309 gene is associated with increased risk of melanoma in younger women.

Most of the treatments require multiple visits to the doctor. Laser and electrocautery treatments are not always effective because they only reach the outermost layers of the skin, while moles penetrate very deep into the dermal tissue, often beyond the reach of these treatments. Surgery, the other option doctors commonly offer, involves cutting out the mole. The resulting wound requires stitches, which will in turn leave a scar.

NeviCurative is a powerful all natural topical treatment proven to eliminate and defeat moles or nevi. Recent clinical trials have established the ability of the active constituents in NeviCurative to effectively eradicate skin moles and impair the growth of human melanoma cells. NeviCurative has therefore been shown to eliminate even the most stubborn moles, regardless of their location on the body, even when other treatments have failed.

NeviCurative is well-known for its antioxidant properties. It is comprised of certified organic medicinal plant extracts, which have demonstrated their ability to eradicate melanomas and skin tumors in laboratory tests. These extracts have a remarkable array of pharmacological and biochemical properties, which are highly effective in eradicating moles.

The pharmacological strength of NeviCurative provides effective elimination of moles without scarring, tissue damage, or recurrence. The treatment is painless and delivers profound results in the elimination of moles, returning skin tissue back to its original state. To learn more, please go to http://www.bcured.net.