Basal Cell Carcinoma

Skin cancers are usually treatable with early detection. Perform routine checks on your body to spot a new growth or changes in your skin. This will help promote early detection and prevent the progression of more aggressive skin cancers. Here's a review of the most common skin cancers:

Melanomas develop from the pigment producing cells of our body and with early detection it is completely curable. If the cancer is left undetected it can spread to other parts of the body and become fatal. Melanomas, though not the most common form of skin cancer, result in the most deaths because it is not detected sooner. There is a misperception that darker skin people are not affected by melanomas. But, that is not true. Everyone has some risk to developing this cancer. Risk factors depend on sun exposure, number of moles on the skin, skin type and family history.

Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) are the most common form of skin cancer with almost a million people affected each year in the United States. Early detection of the cancer is completely treatable; however, a missed diagnosis may result in the progression of the cancer. The result is a skin cancer that is resistant to treatment and damages skin. The cancer can eventually spread to invade cartilage and bone.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) comes in second as the most common form of skin cancer. This type of cancer develops in the uppermost layer of skin cells. This form of cancer is not serious and can be treated effectively with early detection. However, a missed diagnosis will be difficult to treat and may lead to disfigurement.

Recently, researchers revealed that an experimental drug, GDC-0449 in a study led to the reduction of cancer in advanced basal cell carcinoma patients. The manufacturers of the drug, Genentech Inc and Curis Inc, developed GDC-0449 to block a cell signaling pathway known as the Hedgehog pathway. The Hedgehog is a ligand which is a molecule that binds to a larger molecule to initiate a process. The Hedgehog molecule plays an important part in many cellular processes such as cell differentiation, growth and proliferation. Abnormal activity in the Hedgehog pathway has been associated with many cancers, including basal cell carcinoma.

Genetech, Curis and many other leading researchers worldwide are studying the Hedgehog pathway because preclinical studies have shown that inhibiting the process may be curative in more aggressive forms of cancer. GDC-0449 was studied in the first human clinical trial. In the study, GDC-0449 was administered to nine research patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma.

What were the study results?

1. Two participants experienced shrinkage of their tumors.
2. Four study patients demonstrated either shrinkage or improvement of their tumors.
3. Two had extended periods where the tumor did not grow.
4. One patient experienced tumor growth throughout the study.

Were there any notable side effects in patients taking GDC-0449?

No, serious adverse effects were noted throughout the trial. However, some patients experienced minimal hair loss and weight loss. Other also indicated a loss of taste sensation.

What do the study results mean for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma?

Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, principal investigator and chief medical officer for the Scottsdale Clinical Research Institute in Arizona commented by saying, "We currently do not have any treatments that can effectively slow tumor growth in these advanced patients. This finding has enormous implications in this population."

GDC-0449 and other drugs targeting the inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway offers great hope to patients with advance basal cell carcinoma. More clinical trials are needed before GDC-0449 is fully understood and can be indicated for the treatment of this advanced type of skin cancer. Genetech plans to move forward with a Phase II clinical trial of GDC-0449 later this year.

Sources: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24116162/, http://www.skincancer.org/, http://www.biooncology.com/bioonc/research/hedgehog/index.m?s_cid=0001&s_src=googleppc