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Life
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Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma
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Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 21394

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Dermatology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
Interests: dermatology; cutaneous oncology; melanoma; non-melanoma skin cancer
Prof. Dr. Georg T. Wondrak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy and UA Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
Interests: oxidative stress; melanoma; skin cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, edited by Dr. Clara Curiel and Dr. Georg Wondrak, will focus on therapeutic prevention and early detection of melanoma. While treatment modalities for melanoma have advanced in recent years, efforts to detect and prevent melanoma in the at-risk population have lagged. 

The present issue will highlight the breadth of ongoing research examining new biomarkers for detection, topical preventive agents, and other early detection methods that along with the novel melanoma treatments will lessen the burden of this skin cancer.  

Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski
Prof. Dr. Georg T. Wondrak
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • melanoma
  • skin cancer
  • therapeutic prevention
  • early detection

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5646 KiB  
Article
Celecoxib, a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug, Exerts a Toxic Effect on Human Melanoma Cells Grown as 2D and 3D Cell Cultures
by Alessandro Venuta, Rosarita Nasso, Armando Gisonna, Roberta Iuliano, Sara Montesarchio, Vittoria Acampora, Leandra Sepe, Angelica Avagliano, Rosaria Arcone, Alessandro Arcucci and Maria Rosaria Ruocco
Life 2023, 13(4), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13041067 - 21 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2081
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) remains one of the leading causes of tumor mortality due to its high metastatic spread. CM growth is influenced by inflammation regulated by prostaglandins (PGs) whose synthesis is catalyzed by cyclooxygenases (COXs). COX inhibitors, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can [...] Read more.
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) remains one of the leading causes of tumor mortality due to its high metastatic spread. CM growth is influenced by inflammation regulated by prostaglandins (PGs) whose synthesis is catalyzed by cyclooxygenases (COXs). COX inhibitors, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can inhibit tumor development and growth. In particular, in vitro experiments have shown that celecoxib, a NSAID, inhibits the growth of some tumor cell lines. However, two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures, used in traditional in vitro anticancer assays, often show poor efficacy due to a lack of an in vivo like cellular environment. Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, such as spheroids, are better models because they can mimic the common features displayed by human solid tumors. Hence, in this study, we evaluated the anti-neoplastic potential of celecoxib, in both 2D and 3D cell cultures of A2058 and SAN melanoma cell lines. In particular, celecoxib reduced the cell viability and migratory capability and triggered the apoptosis of melanoma cells grown as 2D cultures. When celecoxib was tested on 3D melanoma cell cultures, the drug exerted an inhibitory effect on cell outgrowth from spheroids and reduced the invasiveness of melanoma cell spheroids into the hydrogel matrix. This work suggests that celecoxib could represent a new potential therapeutic approach in melanoma therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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14 pages, 4140 KiB  
Article
Melanin Stacking Differences in Pigmented and Non-Pigmented Melanomas: Quantitative Differentiation between Pigmented and Non-Pigmented Melanomas Based on Light-Scattering Properties
by Frederick H. Silver, Tanmay Deshmukh, Hari Nadiminti and Isabella Tan
Life 2023, 13(4), 1004; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13041004 - 13 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1464
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is a cancer with metastatic potential characterized by varying amounts of pigment-producing melanocytes, and it is one of the most aggressive and fatal forms of skin malignancy, with several hundreds of thousands of cases each year. Early detection and therapy can [...] Read more.
Cutaneous melanoma is a cancer with metastatic potential characterized by varying amounts of pigment-producing melanocytes, and it is one of the most aggressive and fatal forms of skin malignancy, with several hundreds of thousands of cases each year. Early detection and therapy can lead to decreased morbidity and decreased cost of therapy. In the clinic, this often translates to annual skin screenings, especially for high-risk patients, and generous use of the ABCDE (asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter, evolving) criteria. We have used a new technique termed vibrational optical coherence tomography (VOCT) to non-invasively differentiate between pigmented and non-pigmented melanomas in a pilot study. The VOCT results reported in this study indicate that both pigmented and non-pigmented melanomas have similar characteristics, including new 80, 130, and 250 Hz peaks. Pigmented melanomas have larger 80 Hz peaks and smaller 250 Hz peaks than non-pigmented cancers. The 80 and 250 Hz peaks can be used to quantitative characterize differences between different melanomas. In addition, infrared light penetration depths indicated that melanin in pigmented melanomas has higher packing densities than in non-pigmented lesions. Using machine learning techniques, the sensitivity and specificity of differentiating skin cancers from normal skin are shown to range from about 78% to over 90% in this pilot study. It is proposed that using AI on both lesion histopathology and mechanovibrational peak heights may provide even higher specificity and sensitivity for differentiating the metastatic potential of different melanocytic lesions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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Review

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24 pages, 745 KiB  
Review
Vitamin D in Melanoma: Potential Role of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes
by Mohamed Ben-Eltriki, Erysa J. Gayle, Jhoanne M. Paras, Louisa Nyame-Addo, Manik Chhabra and Subrata Deb
Life 2024, 14(4), 510; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14040510 - 15 Apr 2024
Viewed by 294
Abstract
Vitamin D is a promising anticancer agent for the prevention and treatment of several cancers, including melanoma. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, a routinely used marker for vitamin D, have been suggested as one of the factors in the development and progression of melanoma. [...] Read more.
Vitamin D is a promising anticancer agent for the prevention and treatment of several cancers, including melanoma. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, a routinely used marker for vitamin D, have been suggested as one of the factors in the development and progression of melanoma. The parent vitamin D needs activation by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes to exert its actions via the vitamin D receptor (VDR). This review discusses the role of vitamin D in melanoma and how CYP-mediated metabolism can potentially affect the actions of vitamin D. Through interacting with the retinoid X receptor, VDR signaling leads to anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anticancer actions. Calcitriol, the dihydroxylated form of vitamin D3, is the most active and potent ligand of VDR. CYP27A1, CYP27B1, and CYP2R1 are involved in the activation of vitamin D, whereas CYP24A1 and CYP3A4 are responsible for the degradation of the active vitamin D. CYP24A1, the primary catabolic enzyme of calcitriol, is overexpressed in melanoma tissues and cells. Several drug classes and natural health products can modulate vitamin D-related CYP enzymes and eventually cause lower levels of vitamin D and its active metabolites in tissues. Although the role of vitamin D in the development of melanoma is yet to be fully elucidated, it has been proposed that melanoma prevention may be significantly aided by increased vitamin D signaling. Furthermore, selective targeting of the catabolic enzymes responsible for vitamin D degradation could be a plausible strategy in melanoma therapy. Vitamin D signaling can be improved by utilizing dietary supplements or by modulating CYP metabolism. A positive association exists between the intake of vitamin D supplements and improved prognosis for melanoma patients. Further investigation is required to determine the function of vitamin D supplementation and specific enzyme targeting in the prevention of melanoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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14 pages, 324 KiB  
Review
Advances in Early Detection of Melanoma and the Future of At-Home Testing
by Zachary R. Garrison, Connor M. Hall, Rosalyn M. Fey, Terri Clister, Nabeela Khan, Rebecca Nichols and Rajan P. Kulkarni
Life 2023, 13(4), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13040974 - 09 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2482
Abstract
The past decade has seen numerous advancements in approaches to melanoma detection, each with the common goal to stem the growing incidence of melanoma and its mortality rate. These advancements, while well documented to increase early melanoma detection, have also garnered considerable criticism [...] Read more.
The past decade has seen numerous advancements in approaches to melanoma detection, each with the common goal to stem the growing incidence of melanoma and its mortality rate. These advancements, while well documented to increase early melanoma detection, have also garnered considerable criticism of their efficacy for improving survival rates. In this review, we discuss the current state of such early detection approaches that do not require direct dermatologist intervention. Our findings suggest that a number of at-home and non-specialist methods exist with high accuracy for detecting melanoma, albeit with a few notable concerns worth further investigation. Additionally, research continues to find new approaches using artificial intelligence which have promise for the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
18 pages, 719 KiB  
Review
Skin Lesion Analysis and Cancer Detection Based on Machine/Deep Learning Techniques: A Comprehensive Survey
by Mehwish Zafar, Muhammad Imran Sharif, Muhammad Irfan Sharif, Seifedine Kadry, Syed Ahmad Chan Bukhari and Hafiz Tayyab Rauf
Life 2023, 13(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010146 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6080
Abstract
The skin is the human body’s largest organ and its cancer is considered among the most dangerous kinds of cancer. Various pathological variations in the human body can cause abnormal cell growth due to genetic disorders. These changes in human skin cells are [...] Read more.
The skin is the human body’s largest organ and its cancer is considered among the most dangerous kinds of cancer. Various pathological variations in the human body can cause abnormal cell growth due to genetic disorders. These changes in human skin cells are very dangerous. Skin cancer slowly develops over further parts of the body and because of the high mortality rate of skin cancer, early diagnosis is essential. The visual checkup and the manual examination of the skin lesions are very tricky for the determination of skin cancer. Considering these concerns, numerous early recognition approaches have been proposed for skin cancer. With the fast progression in computer-aided diagnosis systems, a variety of deep learning, machine learning, and computer vision approaches were merged for the determination of medical samples and uncommon skin lesion samples. This research provides an extensive literature review of the methodologies, techniques, and approaches applied for the examination of skin lesions to date. This survey includes preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction, selection, and classification approaches for skin cancer recognition. The results of these approaches are very impressive but still, some challenges occur in the analysis of skin lesions because of complex and rare features. Hence, the main objective is to examine the existing techniques utilized in the discovery of skin cancer by finding the obstacle that helps researchers contribute to future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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Other

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14 pages, 1322 KiB  
Systematic Review
Melanoma Brain Metastases: A Systematic Review of Opportunities for Earlier Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment
by Michael Joseph Diaz, Isabella Mark, Daphnee Rodriguez, Beata Gelman, Jasmine Thuy Tran, Giona Kleinberg, Anna Levin, Alice Beneke, Kevin Thomas Root, Andrew Xuan Vinh Tran and Brandon Lucke-Wold
Life 2023, 13(3), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13030828 - 19 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6649
Abstract
Introduction: Melanoma continues to represent the most serious skin cancer worldwide. However, few attempts have been made to connect the body of research on advanced melanoma. In the present review, we report on strides made in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial metastatic [...] Read more.
Introduction: Melanoma continues to represent the most serious skin cancer worldwide. However, few attempts have been made to connect the body of research on advanced melanoma. In the present review, we report on strides made in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial metastatic melanoma. Methods: Relevant Cochrane reviews and randomized-controlled trials published by November 2022 were systematically retrieved from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases (N = 27). Search and screening methods adhered to the 2020 revision of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: Although the research surrounding the earlier detection of melanoma brain metastasis is scarce, several studies have highlighted specific markers associated with MBM. Such factors include elevated BRAFV600 mutant ctDNA, high LDH concentration, and high IGF-1R. The approach to treating MBM is moving away from surgery and toward nonsurgical management, namely, a combination of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immunotherapeutic agents. There is an abundance of emerging research seeking to identify and improve both novel and established treatment options and diagnostic approaches for MBM, however, more research is still needed to maximize the clinical efficacy, especially for new immunotherapeutics. Conclusions: Early detection is optimal for the efficacy of treatment and MBM prognosis. Current treatment utilizes chemotherapies and targeted therapies. Emerging approaches emphasize biomarkers and joint treatments. Further exploration toward preliminary identification, the timing of therapies, and methods to ameliorate adverse treatment effects are needed to advance MBM patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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11 pages, 718 KiB  
Brief Report
Primary and Metastatic Cutaneous Melanomas Discriminately Enrich Several Ligand-Receptor Interactions
by Michael J. Diaz, Angela Fadil, Jasmine T. Tran, Sai Batchu, Kevin T. Root, Andrew X. Tran and Brandon Lucke-Wold
Life 2023, 13(1), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010180 - 08 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1410
Abstract
Introduction: Cutaneous melanoma remains a leading cancer with sobering post-metastasis mortality rates. To date, the ligand-receptor interactome of melanomas remains weakly studied despite applicability to anti-cancer drug discovery. Here we leverage established crosstalk methodologies to characterize important ligand-receptor pairs in primary and metastatic [...] Read more.
Introduction: Cutaneous melanoma remains a leading cancer with sobering post-metastasis mortality rates. To date, the ligand-receptor interactome of melanomas remains weakly studied despite applicability to anti-cancer drug discovery. Here we leverage established crosstalk methodologies to characterize important ligand-receptor pairs in primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Methods: Bulk transcriptomic data, representing 470 cutaneous melanoma samples, was retrieved from the Broad Genome Data Analysis Center Firehose portal. Tumor and stroma compartments were computationally derived as a function of tumor purity estimates. Identification of preferential ligand-receptor interactions was achieved by relative crosstalk scoring of 1380 previously established pairs. Results: Metastatic cutaneous melanoma uniquely enriched PTH2-PTH1R for tumor-to-stroma signaling. The Human R-spondin ligand family was involved in 4 of the 15 top-scoring stroma-to-tumor interactions. Receptor ACVR2B was involved in 3 of the 15 top-scoring tumor-to-tumor interactions. Conclusions: Numerous gene-level differences in ligand-receptor crosstalk between primary and metastatic cutaneous melanomas. Further investigation of notable pairings is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma)
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