Those who are diagnosed with metastatic melanoma have few options. Traditional chemotherapy usually does not cure it. So, here is where the study of biomarkers can really do some good.
For starters, the earlier a patient can be identified as a high risk for developing the aggressive disease, the sooner something can be done about it. To that end, Exiqon and the NYU Cancer Institute's Interdisciplinary Melanoma Program have gotten together to look at MicroRNA (also known as miRNA) as potential targets in the search for non-invasive cancer biomarkers
Exiqon said in a release that results of their studies so far "support the potential of serum miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in melanoma."
"The data presented using qPCR screening highlights again the potential of miRNAs as robust biomarkers in blood serum. We are very excited to be working with one of the most recognized world leading melanoma programs at NYU and we look forward to pushing this program forward during 2011," Adam Baker, VP of Diagnostics at Exiqon, said in the release.
- Read the release