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A diagnosis of melanoma can lead to many questions. It’s important to fully understand your disease, what the treatment options are, and how they will impact you. You may hear the term signal transduction inhibitors come up, which brings up the question: what are signal transduction inhibitors, and how are they used to treat melanoma? The answer is two-fold:
This treatment is defined as:
A substance that blocks signals passed from one molecule to another inside a cell. Blocking these signals can affect many functions of the cell, including cell division and cell death, and may kill cancer cells.
“The introduction of signal transduction inhibitors has revolutionized the treatment of advanced melanoma,” says Dr. Adam Mamelak, dermatologist and skin cancer specialist in Austin, Texas. “Where few treatments have been available in the past, these new therapies have significantly improved patient outcomes.”
Because of their potential to help fight cancerous cells, they are generally used as targeted treatment methods. Using medications that include signal transduction inhibitors offers more control over the cells, and helps to limit the damage to healthy cells in the surrounding area.
Of course, since every person is different, it’s important to find the correct medications to treat the cancerous cells. In addition, you may need a combination of therapies in order to get the most effective overall treatment for your melanoma.
Between 40-60% of patients with malignant melanoma have gene mutations. With this is mind, signal transduction inhibitors can be used to target these mutated cells and help to destroy them–thus increasing the effectiveness of this type of therapy in conjunction with other therapies.
Additionally, the FDA has approved several different types of signal transduction inhibitors to treat Melanoma, which include BRAF inhibitors, MEK inhibitors, and c-KIT inhibitors. All of these types are specific mutations in the proteins of the cancerous cells. Your doctor will help guide you through the process of what medications will be most effective for you.
It’s important to take care of your health, especially if you encounter a problem like melanoma. For guidance and help in treating this dangerous condition, please contact us today at Sanova Dermatology to schedule an appointment today.