Stress may accelerate progression of malignant melanoma, researchers say.
(2/2, Young) reported that researchers from Ohio State University "say that stress can accelerate the progression of malignant melanoma, a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer." In fact, "even hearing the diagnosis could induce enough stress to amplify the progression of malignant melanoma," according to the paper published in the February issue of
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
. "About 48,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma each year and nearly 8,000 people die each year from the disease."
For the study, investigators "exposed three melanoma cell lines to norepinephrine, a naturally occurring compound that functions as a stress hormone," New Zealand's
For the study, investigators "exposed three melanoma cell lines to norepinephrine, a naturally occurring compound that functions as a stress hormone," New Zealand's
(2/3) added. They eventually found that "in the most aggressive and advanced form of the melanoma, there was a 2,000 percent increase in one protein, Interleukin-6, where in untreated samples IL-6 is usually undetectable." The team also "showed that once the norepinephrine molecule binds to receptors on the surface of cancer cells, it stimulates the release of the proteins that support angiogenesis and tumor growth." After confirming "that receptors were present in all three cell lines," the team began "testing what would happen when the receptors were blocked by common blood pressure medicine -- or so-called 'beta-blockers.'" During their tests of beta-blockers, researchers found that when the drug "bound to the receptors, production reduced significantly, indicating that using these types of medications in melanoma patients may slow the progression of the disease."
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