2024-01-22 11:43:45
Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew of England, has encountered a new health setback. After being treated for breast cancer, doctors found malignant cells in her skin. This has led the Duchess of York to be diagnosed with melanoma, the most aggressive cancer that attacks the skin and is often confused with moles. In fact, it was during the removal of some of these that the medical team identified one as cancerous. In Spain, the incidence of this type of cancer continues to increase by up to 40% for years, according to data from the Skin Cancer White Paper published by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
At 64 years old, Sarah Ferguson will have to face this disease again, which according to reports from the United Kingdom will still have to undergo more tests to see at what stage the diagnosis of this melanoma is. The news came shortly after undergoing a simple mastectomy due to breast cancer of which she was also diagnosed and which she defined as terrifying. She will now have to face this new type of skin cancer that, despite being potentially serious, if detected in time, can be treated successfully. In fact, a new study has found an improvement in melanoma cases in one type of cell.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in the skin’s pigment-producing cells, known as melanocytes. These are responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that gives color to the skin, eyes and hair. Melanoma is considered one of the most aggressive types of skin cancer, as it has the ability to spread quickly to other parts of the body.
Melanoma usually originates in existing moles or in areas of normal skin, and its main cause, although according to the Mayo Clinic it is not very certain, it is related to excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or from tanning cameras. However, it can also develop on areas of the skin that are not regularly exposed to the sun.
How to detect abnormal changes in the skin, prevention and treatments
It is important to be alert for changes in moles, such as changes in size, shape, color or borders, as well as the appearance of new moles. Early diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. If detected and treated in its early stages, melanoma can be curable.
Melanoma treatments can vary depending on the stage and extent of the cancer, but in general medical professionals address these therapies:
- Surgery: Surgical removal of melanoma is common, especially in the early stages. This may involve removing the melanoma and a surrounding amount of normal tissue to ensure that all cancer cells are removed.
- Targeted therapy: In some cases, drugs are used that are designed to specifically attack cancer cells that have certain genetic mutations.
- Chemotherapy: Although chemotherapy is not the main treatment for melanoma, in some cases it can be used, especially in advanced stages of the disease.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses radiation to damage cancer cells and stop them from reproducing. It can be used after surgery or in cases where surgery is not an option.
- Combined therapies: In some cases, different types of treatments can be combined to increase effectiveness and improve results.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is an approach that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Some medications, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (such as pembrolizumab, nivolumab), can help trigger an immune response against cancer cells.
It is vitally important to take a preventive role to avoid the appearance of melanoma. Beyond checking any possible new moles that appear on our skin, it is recommended to avoid excessive exposure to the sun and use sunscreen.
The new key cells in immunotherapy against melanoma
A recent study led by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Australia) has detected that CD4+ T cells help activate immune cells that are effective in controlling melanoma. These cells, also called ‘helper T cells’, aim to assist in immune cell function.
In the research, Dr. Emma Bawden was able to observe that these CD4+ T cells interacted with other cells around the tumor. Thus, they found that they could combat tumors in different ways. This opens new lines of research that promise to update the development of new immunotherapies against skin cancer or melanoma.
References
Bawden, E. G., & Gebhardt, T. (2023). The multifaceted roles of CD4+ T cells and MHC class II in cancer surveillance. Current Opinion in Immunology, 83, 102345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2023.102345
Melanoma – symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic. (2023, July 22). https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/diseases-conditions/melanoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20374884
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