Cancer is a deadly disease that claims the lives of many people, leaving no chance for recovery. Scientists are constantly looking for solutions to this problem, although so far unsuccessfully in many cases. The leading place in the frequency of development is occupied by such an oncological problem as melanoma.
Melanoma is a malignant skin growth that is quite difficult to diagnose at an early stage due to its strong resemblance to a common mole. The lack of sufficient information leads to late visits to the hospital for the diagnosis and treatment of melanomas. Some do not even suspect that an ordinary mole that appears on the body as a small bump or birthmark and never bothers can lead to a sad outcome.
- Melanoma – mole or cancer
- Risk group – who should be afraid of the development of skin melanoma
- Melanoma treatment: immuno-oncology will help
- Mechanism of action of immune drugs to treat melanoma
Melanoma – mole or cancer
When, for some reason, melanocytes begin to divide uncontrollably, the former mole or birthmark begins to change shape, color, texture. Any change can become a symptom of the development of cancer, and requires immediate diagnosis and treatment with malon, which can save lives if the initial stages of development are detected in time.
Skin melanoma develops based on pigment cells – melanocytes, which are located in the basal layer of the skin and form melanin (pigment), which is responsible for skin color.
There are 1 to 4 cases of skin melanoma development per 100,000 population per year. In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in cases of melanoma of the skin due to the aggressive effects of ultraviolet rays, the destruction of the ozone layer.
Risk group – who should be afraid of the development of skin melanoma
The presence of acquired nevi or similar congenital formations places people at risk for skin melanoma. Also, if the skin has physical damage: burns, frostbite or injury to the nevi (mechanical or under the influence of temperatures) - the risk of developing the disease increases significantly. Of great importance is the genetic predisposition, the nature of pigmentation, the color of the hair or eyes, the constitution, the presence of freckles, the shape and number of moles on the body.
Most cases of development of skin melanoma occur in red-haired or blond (blonde) people. People with black skin color rarely get this disease, although such people may experience the formation of melanomas on the palms or soles. Endocrine or hormonal disorders also increase the risk of developing this disease. Puberty, menopause or pregnancy – critical periods when the transformation of nevi into a malignant tumor on the skin is activated.
Melanoma treatment: immuno-oncology will help
Melanoma is treated by several methods, one of which is – the use of immuno-oncological drugs to create a powerful immune response to fight cancer cells. Why does melanoma treatment often fail? Cancer cells block the immune system and prevent defense cells from attacking them, so cancer cells continue to grow and multiply in the body.
Scientists study the body's response to cancer and look for potential immune system dysfunction to develop drugs that help the body's defense mechanism recognize cancer cells as harmful and destroy them. That is, such drugs do not initially treat cancer, do not destroy cancer cells in the body, but are aimed at
Immuno-oncological drugs bind to receptors and enable the immune response to attack cancer cells.
Medications developed by immuno-oncology act as blockers of the CTLA-4 and PD-1 receptors found on human T-lymphocytes.
If these receptors are present on lymphocytes, and if there are similar molecules in melanoma cells – ligands, then the immune system will not be able to recognize tumor cells for a protective response and fight them.
Every year, scientists from all over the world try to find more and more modern ways to treat skin melanoma.
It is noteworthy that of all skin cancers, only 4% are melanoma, but in 73% of cases it is quickly fatal. Therefore, melanoma is called the "queen" of tumors.
Since 2011, survival rates after being diagnosed with melanoma have increased in cases where immune drugs have been used. This allows scientists to argue that the fight against cancer - not only the treatment of melanoma, but also other formations in the body - can be successful with further study, as well as the use of immunological drugs.
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