With lockdown restricting time spent outdoors, we’ve had to be inventive to enjoy the sun over the past few months. From tracking the sunshine across the living room floor, sticking arms out of the window, or creating long and complex jogging routes, getting a taste of summer has been tricky.
Now that lockdown has eased and we are free again to spend time outside, it’s little surprise that day trips to beaches, parks and even pub gardens are high on everyone’s agenda. But exposure to the sun has its own dangers, which can often be forgotten in the eagerness to make up for lost time. Over exposure to the UV radiation in sunshine can increase the risk of developing melanoma, basal or squamous cell carcinomas.
The dangers of skin cancer
Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed worldwide, forming one in three cancers diagnosed. There are two types of skin cancer; Melanoma cell carcinomas and non-melanoma cell carcinomas (Basal and Squamouscell carcinomas). Cancer Research UK has been researching these different types of skin cancer since the 1930s.
Melanoma cell carcinomas
Melanoma cell carcinomas is the most dangerous type of skin cancer as it can spread rapidly to other organs if not treated at an early stage.
Cancer Research UK has been researching Melanoma cell carcinomas since the early 2000s. Their research revealed the role of BRAF gene mutations in malignant melanomas and a potential treatment of metastatic melanomas through inhibition of BRAF activity: Vemurafenib. BRAF, a serine-threonine kinase, is involved in the crucial regeneration process of skin cells to ensure the skin acts effectively as a barrier. The Ximbio portfolio includes research models for BRAF deletion, and a diverse, highly annotated, publicly-available collection of kinase inhibitors.
Later research focused on the balance between two molecules ROCK and Rho. The balance between these molecules was shown to control the shape of skin cancer cells and their ability to spread around the body. Cancer Research UK is currently continuing its research into these molecules to try and identify potential melanoma treatments. One of the research tools Cancer Research UK has created in this area, that is available through the Ximbio portfolio, is a vector that contains human ROCK 1 fused to the hormone-binding domain of the oestrogen receptor. This fusion produces a ROCK kinase that can be stimulated by oestrogen analogues. Other ROCK and Rho research tools available on the Ximbio portfolio include; research models containing ROCK1 and ROCK2 and a cell line that has been engineered to enable tetracycline inducible expression of the kinase ROCK2. Explore other ROCK research tools through the Ximbio portfolio.
Understanding the underlying biology of how melanoma spreads and develops as well as why treatment sometimes stops working is also crucial in developing effective treatments against Melanoma. Researchers at Cancer Research UK are investigating LOX, an enzyme involved in stabilising extracellular matrix proteins. Part of Cancer Research UK’s research created a small molecule that inhibits LOX. As LOX has been demonstrated to be a critical mediator of cancer metastasis, creating a treatment that inhibits LOX could prove effective against cancer metastasis. Discover more about this small molecule, created by Cancer Research UK and available on the Ximbio portfolio, or discover other LOX research tools.
However, susceptibility to Melanoma and the success of treatment depends on a variety of factors such as genetics and lifestyle choices. Understanding how these factors interact, can predict how melanoma patients will respond to treatment and could help accelerate research developments in this field. New research from Cancer Research UK is therefore focusing on understanding and investigating this area.
Non-Melanoma cell carcinomas: BCC and SCC
In the UK, around 147,000 cases of non-melanoma cell carcinomas are diagnosed each year. Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer diagnosed, mostly in people who are middle aged or older. It develops on the head, face, ears and neck or other areas most exposed to the sun. Although it seldom metastasizes, it can cause local cell invasion and destruction.
Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC), develops in the cell layer above the basal layer and is usually faster growing than BCC. It occurs in a range of tissues including the mouth, oesophagus, and prostate. Research is facilitated when research tools are obtained from the same patient across the primary, recurrent and metastatic carcinoma. Explore the range of SCC cell lines available on Ximbio’s portfolio.
Cancer Research UK’s research into non-melanoma cell carcinomas led to the development of a drug: Vismodegib in 1989. This drug passed its clinical trials in 2013, to provide treatment for patients with extremely advanced BCC or BCC that had begun to spread. Since then Cancer Research UK has developed several other drugs for different types of non-Melanoma cell carcinomas that have either passed or are currently in clinical trials.
Some researchers have dedicated their entire careers to researching BCC and SCC and to finding treatments for these diseases. Explore the career of one of these researchers: Professor Irene Leigh.
Protect yourself and accelerate cell carcinoma research
The gradual easing of lockdown means that spending significant periods of time outdoors will continue over the next few months. However, other impacts on our health shouldn’t be forgotten. Discover some simple measures can help you avoid the risk of skin cancer.
Cancer is a complex disease and research is ongoing to identify new treatments and increase our understanding of cell carcinomas. New research tools have been created and made available to scientists worldwide. Explore our portfolio and widen the range of research tools you use to study cell carcinomas.