Melanoma: Related News

By mid-December 2012, sunscreen products on store shelves in the United States must meet stricter labeling regulations. Dr. Wang answers key questions on this topic.

Dr. Chi, a physician-scientist and member of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, studies genetic and epigenetic changes that cause cancer.

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer that begins in the pigment-forming cells of the skin called melanocytes. While melanoma accounts for less than 5 percent of all skin cancers, it is far more serious than other skin cancers if not detected and treated early, before it has a chance to metastasize, or spread, to nearby lymph nodes and organs. Once the cancer has spread, the chances of achieving treatment success drop significantly. Recently, preliminary findings from a study led by Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators have revealed rapid and dramatic shrinking of metastatic tumors in patients treated with a new compound that interrupts a tumor-growth pathway present in the majority of patients with melanoma.

Findings from a multidisciplinary research team led by Memorial Sloan-Kettering medical oncologist and immunologist Jedd Wolchok could help shed light on the immune system’s role in fighting cancer.

Two of the year’s top five cancer research advances cited by the American Society of Clinical Oncology were led by Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators.

In an extraordinary demonstration of excellence, five Memorial Sloan-Kettering physician-scientists were selected to participate in the press program at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, held June 3-7 in Chicago.

An international, multi-center study has revealed the discovery of a novel oncogene that is associated with uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer. Researchers have isolated an oncogene called GNA11 and have found that it is present in more than 40 percent of tumor samples taken from patients with uveal melanoma.