Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have identified the mechanism by which the most mutated gene in melanoma, called v599EB-Raf, aids melanoma tumor development demonstrating its importance as a therapeutic target. “Our studies suggest that using therapies to target and inhibit the function of mutant v599EB-Raf protein could prevent the spread of melanoma and halt tumor growth for those melanomas containing the B-Raf mutation,” said Gavin P. Robertson, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, pathology, and dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “With cases of melanoma increasing at about 4 percent per year and no effective treatments available for advanced-stage disease, it’s imperative that we continue to look for important proteins that could be targeted therapeutically. Studies like this one that identify how inhibiting important melanoma regulating proteins reduce melanoma development will lead to a better understanding of the disease, and thus, the development of more effective long-term treatment options for patients.” The study, titled “Mutant V599EB-Raf Regulates Growth and Vascular Development of Malignant Melanoma Tumors,” appeared in the March 15, 2005, issue of Cancer Research.
