For more than four decades, Kenneth D. Nahum, MD, has been working as a physician. A hematologist and oncologist practicing at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), he treats patients with cancer or blood disorders. Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum routinely conducts research on numerous conditions, including melanoma.
It’s predicted that roughly 96,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019 and over 7,000 Americans will die of the disease. However, researchers recently discovered a possible way to manage melanomas and other cancers.
Researchers focused on NRAS, a gene responsible for instructing cells to produce an NRAS protein. Mutations in this gene have previously been linked to roughly 25 percent of skin cancers.
However, for NRAS to trigger the development of cancer, it must be activated by another protein. Researchers tested several proteins to determine how they affect NRAS activity and discovered that STK19 appears to be the primary activating protein.
While NRAS activity cannot be disabled, STK19 gene activity can be disabled with a new drug compound. When STK19 was blocked from activating NRAS in animal models and skin cells, it kept melanoma from developing. More research is needed, but researchers hope this discovery will pave the way for new treatments for difficult-to-cure cancer via the identification and blocking of activating proteins.
It’s predicted that roughly 96,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019 and over 7,000 Americans will die of the disease. However, researchers recently discovered a possible way to manage melanomas and other cancers.
Researchers focused on NRAS, a gene responsible for instructing cells to produce an NRAS protein. Mutations in this gene have previously been linked to roughly 25 percent of skin cancers.
However, for NRAS to trigger the development of cancer, it must be activated by another protein. Researchers tested several proteins to determine how they affect NRAS activity and discovered that STK19 appears to be the primary activating protein.
While NRAS activity cannot be disabled, STK19 gene activity can be disabled with a new drug compound. When STK19 was blocked from activating NRAS in animal models and skin cells, it kept melanoma from developing. More research is needed, but researchers hope this discovery will pave the way for new treatments for difficult-to-cure cancer via the identification and blocking of activating proteins.
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