Melanoma

Break throughs in medicine are occurring at a more predictable value in the 21st century. This is due to technology and too the glut of cultivation that is due to decades of research in the area of biology and medicine. Still, there are some medical conditions and illnesses that dummy up puzzle the medical community and the public. one(a) of these is malignant malignant melanoma a fiber of pubic louse.This study go forth look into the base definition of this sickness. This paper willing as well as address the current posture and future standing of the illness and provide information as to what will be the next possible steps in curing the ailment and the future of melanoma treatment. melanomaThis illness is a type of skin malignant neoplastic disorder tho it is not just an ordinary kind of cancerous outgrowth but it is actually, the most serious type of skin cancer (Melanoma.com, 2007). The principal(prenominal) rationality of melanoma is too untold exposure to ultraviolet light beam such as in the case of sun bathers and those who just pray to have that bronze look and then go lie chthonian intense UV rays courtesy of tanning booths.This type of disease is prevailing be build this is a nation of sun worshippers, meaning people in this res publica just love to bask under the ultraviolet glow of fair weather just to get that much sought after tan. Now, melanoma is on the rise and the faster growing cancer in the United States of America.It is a serious problem not just because of its frequency but also because it is truly aggressive. In circumstance, The median survival of patients is generally limited to 6 t 10 months, and it has not been significantly improved since the 1970s (University of geographical mile Health System, 2007). scarce according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) this type of cancer can also occur in the eye and is called intra visual or ocular melanoma (NCI, 2007). But the organ of choice so to speak for t he disease is the human skin which is the longst organ of the human body. It is not only because of the large surface area but more on the fact that melanoma develops first in the skin cell called melanocytes.Melanocytes are skin cells base in the skin that is in charge in the production of melanin. Melanins main purpose is to give skin its color and explains why those who experience in different environs e.g. too much sun, have a different skin color than those who only receive minimal amounts of sun throughout the year.Another major purpose of melanin is to protect deeper layers of the skin from the suns harmful ultraviolet or UV rays. Due to prevalence of the disease in those who love to get deep tan lying smooth in beaches or those frequenting tanning booths there is a consensus that too much exposure to UV light is the major cause of melanoma.When a someone spends a considerable amount of time under the sun, melanocytes are worked into a frenzy they work extra hard to pro duce melanin. This increased activity when done frequently causes this particular cell to suddenly behave abnormally. When this happens, acquaint 1 cancer has already occurred. Yet, no one has been able to locate the exact mechanism or the exact chemical process that cause this abnormality. The dermatology research aggroup in the University of Michigan asserts remarked that, The identification of the molecular innovation of melanoma progression are largely unknown (Soengas, 2007).Current StatusIn the early stages of melanoma, it is super treatable but there are limited options for those who are already in the advanced stages (Medical News Today, 2007). There are bigger problems when it concerns this illness. Reacting to the aforementioned low-down prognosis of those who are in the later stages of the disease, the University of Michigan research team gave the following findings, A main contributor to this poor prognosis is an entire resistance to standard modalities of antic ancer treatment, ranging fro immuno, to radiao or chemotherapy (Soengas, 2007).Future StandingThere are exciting developments though and one could be found in the laboratories of The Wistar Institute, an independent nonprofit biomedical research institution dedicated to discovering the causes and curse for major diseases including cancer. One of their researchers detect that a substance called peptide exists in approximately 70 percent of melanomas but not in normal cells. Dorothee Herlyn the main proponent of this novel vaccinum approach used the peptide to stimulate T cells in the body to aggress the melanoma cells. Herlyn found out that a substantial proportion of melanoma patients, about 50 percent have killer whale T cells responding to the peptide and is very optimistic that in due time this new approach will be able to treat at least one third of all melanoma patients (Medical News Today, 2007).DiscussionAs mentioned earlier there are is still no hard evidence that will p oint to the exact cause of the disease on the molecular level. So far what is ascertain is the fact that too much exposure to UV rays are causing the melanocytes in the skin to grow abnormally and then becomes cancer causing.Prevention of course is relegate than seeking more expensive and emotionally draining cure curiously when it comes to cancer. So experts suggest decreasing the amount of time under the sharp elements of the suns rays. Also, there is a serious need to be conscious of protecting one self from ultraviolet rays and this includes sun screen lotions, hats, working under the shade etc.But when cancer has already set in medical professionals are needed on the scene. There are at least four (4) major types of treatment (National Cancer Institute, 2007)Surgery This includes removing the melanoma or removing cancer cells and some of the normal tissue around it. Lymphadenectomy is also an option wherein the lymph nodes are removed. Skin grafting is also part of this ty pe of treatment.Chemotherapy Cancer drugs are taken orally or injected into a vein so that it can enter the bloodstream and kill cancer cells. But due to the fact that melanoma is in the skin, basically outside the native organs of the body this common cancer treatment has to be modified. The proficiency is called hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion where the flow of blood from the limb is inhibited through the use of tourniquet and thus anticancer drug can be put directly into the blood of the limb.Radiation Therapy There are two types of radiation syndrome therapy internal and external radiation therapy where the former uses high-energy x-rays while the last mentioned uses radioactive substances sealed in catheters and then placed near the unnatural areas of the body.Biologic Therapy This type of therapy finds ways to boos the bodys immune system so that it can fight the disease.There are also new types of treatment universe tested in clinical trials. One is the aforeme ntioned radical technique developed by Dorothee Herlyn of The Wistar Institute where she was able to coax T killer cells to attack melanoma and what a novel approach indeed.Works CitedMedical News Today. Melanoma Research Progress Suggests Optimism for Future Cures.Available from http//www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=45539&nfid=rssfeeds Accessed 20 April 2007.Melanoma.com. What is Melanoma? Available from Accessed 19 April 2007.Soengas, Maria. molecular Basis of Melanoma Progression and Drug Resistance. University