SPORE program unites scientists in a new study of melanoma
Dysplastic nevi are generally larger than ordinary moles and have irregular and indistinct borders. Although benign, they may be more likely than ordinary moles to develop into melanoma.
Melanomas tend to be at least 1/4-inch wide when found. They often have a mixture of colors, including black, and have irregular or notched borders. They should be treated early because cells from more advanced melanomas can spread to other parts of the body.
Melanoma skin cancers are especially secretive about their future. Even when examined under a high-powered microscope, they offer few clues about their chances of growing rapidly and spreading to other parts of the body.
That may change, however, with a study that's part of the new SPORE in skin cancer. Researchers at four Harvard-affiliated hospitals are collaborating to determine whether the genetic activity in melanoma cells serves as a signpost of cells' aggressiveness and likelihood of becoming malignant.
"The study will help us to understand whether it's possible to predict the course of disease and, in the process, improve the outlook for patients."
— Thomas Flotte, MD
Investigators led by Todd Golub, MD, of Dana-Farber and Thomas Flotte, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital are using DNA chip technology to compare the gene activity in metastatic melanoma cells with that in benign (dysplastic) nevi — mole-like spots that may develop into cancer.
"Our aim is to find genes that are switched on or off in melanoma, but not in nevi cells," Flotte remarks. "We'll then look at the activity of those genes in early melanomas to see whether any of them are markers of cells' likelihood of becoming metastatic."
Thomas Flotte, MD (left), and Todd Golub, MD, use DNA chip technology to compare the genetic signatures of aggressive melanoma cells and cells from mole-like blemishes called dysplastic nevi.
The project holds the hope of better, more individualized therapies for patients. By distinguishing cases of melanoma that are likely to progress from those that will probably remain stable, doctors will be able to tailor treatments to each patient's condition.
"The study will help us to understand whether it's possible to predict the course of the disease and, in the process, improve the outlook for patients," Flotte says. "It's an exciting use of molecular technology for patients' benefit."
