Viruses and Viral Diseases: Rare Skin Cancer Virus Mapped

Viruses and Viral Diseases

Scientists study viruses and viral diseases at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute have uncovered the mechanism of the virus causing a rare form of skin cancer, ScienceDaily reported.

"Unfortunately, Merkel cell carcinoma is hard to treat and clinical trials of chemotherapeutics have been disappointing in distressing clinical course and survival," said Dr. Patrick Moore, an American Cancer Society professor at the institute "Discovery of the molecular reason for this cancer provides opportunities to directly objective the cellular pathways that are perturbed by the virus."

Presenting his learn results at the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research, held in Pittsburgh Sept 14-18, Moore explain that highly violent Merkel cell carcinoma is a still-rare cancer that has augmented in the last 20 years, particularly in populations with concealed immune systems.

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