Single Protein a Key Player in Skin Cancer

Stat3 sets disease development in motion, researchers find

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 1, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- A protein called Stat3 sets skin cancer development in motion, says a study by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Cancers in humans generally develop through a number of steps -- initiation, promotion, and progression. These steps require the accumulation of four to six genetic mutations.

Stat3 normally regulates the expression of several genes in a cell. Improperly activated Stat3 is known to be linked to several cancers in humans.

In this study, researchers used chemicals on mice to reveal the role of Stat3 in the initiation and promotion steps of skin cancer. They found that normal mice, after chemical treatment, developed skin cancer. However, mice that lacked Stat3 were resistant to the development of skin cancer.

The findings indicate that Stat3 may prove an important target for cancer treatment and prevention.

The study appears in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

More information

The American Academy of Dermatology has more about skin cancer.

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