Damaged genes ‘behind deadliest cancer’

Scientists believe that they have uncovered a new genetic basis for skin cancer, with a complex chain of molecular reactions suspected to be behind up to one-fifth of cases.

Today’s study from the Institute of Cancer Research, sponsored by charity Cancer Research UK, says that a damaged version of the RAS gene is responsible for stimulating growth in malignant melanomas, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

The report’s authors explain that greater understanding of the behaviour of genes damaged by UV rays is essential to helping scientists develop improved skin cancer drug treatments in the future.

Professor Richard Marais, lead researcher from the institute, explained that up until now, scientists were unaware how RAS was able to encourage the growth of cancer cells.

“This research found that RAS activates one of the RAF proteins and from our previous work, we knew that a different RAF protein was implicated in the development of most other melanomas,” he said.

Faults in the B-variant RAF gene are expected to be behind almost three-quarters of melanomas.

“Knowing more about the behaviour of all the different pathways involved in the development of melanoma could have implications for drug targeting. This discovery has the potential to enable us to develop targeted treatments to repair this particular fault and reverse the effects of the disease,” Professor Marais added.

Melanomas are the most severe form of skin cancer as treatment is complicated by the molecular mechanisms inherent in the disease.