Killing Skin-Cancer Stem Cells

January 18, 2008

Harvard Medical School researchers have identified a class of cells that initiates skin-cancer melanomas; they are also developing a therapy that specifically targets these cells. In a major study, the researchers characterized these cells and linked them to disease progression in humans. They also demonstrated that an antibody targeting these cells slows tumor growth in mice. The work may lead to new treatments for resistant melanoma. It also has broader implications for cancer biology. (Technology Review)