Genetic profiling to aid cancer therapies

DNA sequencing has revealed that mucosal melanoma, arising in the body’s mucous membranes, has a completely different gene profile to the related – and much more common – condition melanoma skin cancer, or cutaneous melanoma.

The study, carried out at Cancer Research UK’s Paterson Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Manchester, means that scientists could now target the genetic faults that cause the condition when looking for new treatments for patients.

Cancer Research UK’s chief scientist, Professor Nic Jones, said: “In effect, these two sub-types of melanoma are more like different diseases that just happen to affect the same cells. Cutaneous melanoma is strongly linked to UV exposure, number of moles, family history and ethnicity, while mucosal melanoma doesn’t seem to be linked to these factors.

“But it’s usually more aggressive and more likely to spread to other parts of the body than cutaneous melanoma.

“Research like this is helping us to better understand how this disease works and is the first step towards developing more effective treatments. By recognising the differences between sub-types of melanoma, we will be able to tailor treatment for patients so they have the best chance of beating the disease.”

Melanomas usually develop in the skin but in some places it is found in other areas of the body including the eye or in organs that secrete mucus. Between 120 and 130 cases of mucosal melanoma are diagnosed in the UK each year.

The study was published in the Journal of Pathology.