Malignant Melanoma is one of the world’s fastest-growing cancers (Glud, 2012 p 142). Even if the primary cutaneous melanoma is treatable with surgery, it is impossible to treat the formed metastatic melanoma with surgery alone, necessitating the use of superior therapeutic approaches. Given the elevated rates of death from metastatic melanoma, it is advised to develop a greater understanding of the cellular pathogenesis of melanoma (Siakantari 2010). It is anticipated that such expertise would be useful during the initial diagnosis of potential metastatic lesions, as well as in developing new models of therapy for improved cancer treatment. New developments in the biology of cancer stem cell and molecular genetics have highlighted the little foundation of melanoma genesis (Sullivan, 2015). This paper discusses the present information regarding the molecular alterations related to malignant melanoma and reviews the weight of such knowledge for creating new anti-melanoma therapeutics. This discussion will focus on main genetic changes in the disease. Better knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of melanoma can reveal advanced therapeutic targets and diagnostic clues for this progressively widespread disease.
Melanoma, which is the most dynamic type of cancer of the skin, has progressed at a worrying speed of 5% annually in the past four decades (Hofbauer, 2010). In America, it constitutes the sixth and fifth commonest cancer in women and men respectively. Its average approximate risk life is one in 75 (Glud, 2012, 143). Even though melanoma can be managed during its initial stages using surgery, it is hard to diagnosis already developed melanoma. Metastatic melanoma does not respond to the present accessible radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy. Nonetheless, new findings in the genetics of melanoma have produced several molecular therapeutic targets (Boorn, 2010). Lately, it has also been proven that genetic changes in melanoma are related to specific histologic alterations. Hence, examining the molecular foundation of melanogenesis can result in the realization of new therapeutic targets and diagnostic clues to control this fatal disease.
Background
Cutaneous melanoma is a malignant growth produced by the mature melanin-producing cell. Melanocytes, located within the epidermis basal layer, manufacture the melanin pigment, which provides the color of the skin. It is approximated that in 2014, almost 76100 news occurrences of melanoma in the US were discovered and nearly 9710 individuals died because of the disease (Sullivan, 2015). The Caucasian population experienced a 3-6% increase in case of malignant melanoma, causing it to be the fastest developing cancers across the world. .Melanoma is among the three top forms of skin cancer others being squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. However, it is fatal; resulting in the massive majority of deaths occurred to the skin in spite that it is responsible for an estimated 5% of all cases of skin cancer (Hofbauer, 2010). Predominant melanoma victims show an estimated 11% early mortality rate while the death rate of metastatic melanoma is notably higher. Patients with metastatic melanoma normally have a limited survival rate because of the defective effectiveness of modern cancer treatment. The top challenges experienced during therapeutic control of melanoma victims have occasioned massive attempts to explain the little development of malignant melanoma with the hope of uncovering more favorable options of treatment (Siakantari, 2010).
Staging and Classification
Melanoma is classified into four categories namely lentiginous, lentigo malignant, nodular, and superficial spreading out of which the superficial spreading is still the most popular (Hofbauer, 2010). Superficial spreading is responsible for almost 70% of the disease trailed by the modular form, which stands for almost 15-30% of cases of melanoma (Glud, 2012). The acral lentiginous and lentigo malignant account for less than 10% of all cases. In staging terms, four processes are followed comprising of number steps, TNM stage, Breslow scale and the Clark scale (Boorn, 2010). The Clark level examines the extent of lesions based on its effects on several layers of the skin. The Breslow scale monitors the thickness of melanoma upon the skin. Finally, the TNM is determined by the lesion thickness and assessment of its extension towards the lymph nodes and several body tissues. The staging process comprising of 0 to 4 stages combines statistics regarding the TNM staging and extension of the lesion (Hofbauer, 2010). For instance at 0 stage confirms the confinement of the lesion to the epidermis excluding thick layers of the dermis, while stage 4 refers to the extension of metastases and lymph nodes too far regions of the body like brain, liver, and lung.
Diagnosis
Detection of melanoma can be done by performing a clinical examination of the skin lesion using the eye. Clinicians often examine wounds by the ABCD rule (Sullivan, 2015). This rule is used to show asymmetry, uneven border, variations in color and diameter. Nonetheless, detection using unaided eyes does not always provide accurate results as indicated by the estimated 80% actual rate of diagnosis seen among dermatologists, and an estimated 30% rate among non-dermatologists experts (Boorn, 2010). Diagnosis procedures have advanced technologically over the years to enhance efficiency and to reduce the occurrences of negative cases, which would permit hidden melanoma to grow to dangerous levels. The utilization of dermoscopy or skin surface microscope enables enhanced visualization. Progression of improved digital processes has allowed the creation of automated detection of melanoma called MEDS, which combines many categorization algorithms and applies them to review various characteristics and measurements of the victim lesion to yield an adequate diagnosis. Studies on the diagnosis of melanoma have emphasized on discovering melanoma-specific scientific markers, which can forecast the course of melanoma (.Hofbauer, 2010). Determining blood from patients with melanoma who had been already free of RNA markers and cancer cells aids in predicting the possibility of a patient experiencing respite of metastatic melanoma. Microphthalmia transcription factor is also a molecular marker, which can be applied to diagnose melanoma (Siakantari, 2010). This tag is said to be especially demonstrated within melanoma melanocytes.
Etiology and Pathogenesis
Radiation by Ultraviolet
Research in Epidemiology has accomplished a lot to highlight the possible origins of malignant melanoma (Sullivan, 2015). Research has indicated that a key risk aspect for melanoma progression is subjection to Ultraviolet (UV) rays (Boorn, 2010). Any extreme sunburn during adolescence or childhood increases the chances of developing Belmont later in life. Therefore, exposure to UV contributes majorly in the tumor genesis of melanoma. In addition, experiments have indicated that radiation FORM UV often results into DNA mutations like the production of thymidine and pyrimidine dimers (Sullivan, 2015). Samples of cutaneous melanoma show a high rate of mutation, which surpasses that of about all another type of solid cancer. This high incidence is due to the potential mutagenic effects of UV. People with a background of familial melanoma that accounts for 8-12% of all cases are susceptible to UV radiation (Glud, 2012). Such people have higher possibilities of developing melanoma during their younger years and acquire multiple melanoma lesions.
Melanocytic Nevi
Melanocytic nevus constitutes another susceptible condition for malignant melanoma. Nevi comprise of benign lesions made up of a potent combination of melanocytes (Boorn, 2010). The combination results in a dark colored spot upon the skin because of the vast amount of melanin produced. They are commonly referred to as birthmarks or moles .Melanocytic nevi are either hereditary or surface later on in life (Bauer, 2010). A characteristic or surplus quantities of nevi developed later in life can be a possible diagnostic feature or possible risk factor showing the development of melanoma. When Revis starts to alter in texture, color, or shape, then it turns into substantial symptoms of malignant melanoma. In a particular research, almost 81% of melanoma victims experienced an altering nevus within the malignant lesion position (Glud, 2012). Nonetheless, it is crucial to know that not every changing nevi are indicative or result into melanoma. In addition, the actual cause and mechanism for the alterations are yet to be understood. The manifestation of changing nevi enables the early diagnosis of melanoma, and if proper surgical excision is applied, the rate of cancer-free survival will rise more, unlike the metastatic melanoma (Hofbauer, 2010).
Molecular Alterations related with Malignant Melanoma
When the melanoma metastasizes or spreads from its source to different cutaneous tissues, the rate of response to treatment falls to an estimated 5-20%, while the 10-year rate of survival drops to 10% (Bauer, 2010)Metastatic melanoma is said to cause challenges during treatment, indicating minimum rates of survival and cure following radiation therapy and surgical resection. During the cellular stage cancer, cells have varied little characteristics, which enable metastasis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis evasion (Sullivan, 2015). Distinguishing the particular alterations, which allow melanoma cells to develop and, survive more than other cells can facilitate the progression of more successful treatments, which can enhance the prediction of melanoma patients.
BRAF
Research has indicated that about 40-60% of the entire melanoma cases show an initiated BRAF modification. BRAF is a normal gene, which encodes a threonine protein kinase that supports the growth and proliferation of cells (Glud, 2012). Usually, BRAF is involved in heterodimerization with a different RAF kinase while reacting to development signals. Nevertheless, and activating modification causes BRAF become a self-sufficient and progressively activated molecule (Hofbauer, 2010). The outcome is less controlled proliferation of cells consequently developing a tumor. The mutation, which produces glutamic acid from valine, constitutes the commonest BRAF and make up to 90% the entire metastatic melanomas (Boorn, 2010). More studies have indicated that initial steps of melanoma development, referred to as radial growth phase, show a minimal 10% mutation of BRAF, which emphasizes the theory that BRAF is not involved in the initiation of melanoma.Also,60% of vertical metastasized melanoma have mutations of BRAF (Hofbauer, 2010).
Conclusion
Melanoma constitutes the malignancy of color-yielding cells found commonly on the skin, however also located in genital mucous membranes, leptomeninges, and GI tract. ears, and eyes. Melanoma is responsible for not more than 5% of all cancers of the skin. Nonetheless, it accounts for the majority of skin-related deaths across the world. If the thin cutaneous melanoma is diagnosed early, there can be reduced the first mortality rate. The disease which is ranked at number eight among all malignancy in America, has demonstrated a quick rise in its occurrence during the past twenty years, particularly during the initial stages of its formation. However, better knowledge regarding the molecular pathogenesis of Melanoma can be beneficial during the initial diagnosis of possible metastatic lesions while creating modern newer methods of therapy for better management of the malignancy.
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