Skin cancer detection breakthrough

Answer 1

Researchers have discovered specific genome data associated with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, which could be used for new diagnostic and treatment options.

Researchers found that skin cells with the melanoma disease are missing certain biochemical elements in the DNA, known as methyl groups, when compared to normal skin cells. Identifying the absence of those methyl groups in skin cells could be used as diagnostic indicator of melanoma.

Additionally, when researchers introduced enzymes responsible for the formation of the missing methyl groups to the melanoma cells, the cancerous cells stopped growing.

Cancer is typically seen as a genetic disease involving permanent DNA sequence defects so the researchers' discovery of counteracting abnormalities surrounding mutated DNA is a major breakthrough.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that over 9,000 Americans will die due to melanoma in 2012.