What are the molecular alterations in tumor and host cells that define a melanoma?
The Bastian Lab studies tumors that arise from melanocytes, the melanin-producing cells of the skin and other organs. Pigment cell tumors are an ideal model to study the processes involved in early cancer formation, as pigment cell tumors are often removed at very early stages. In fact, most melanocytic tumors that are removed are completely harmless (so called moles or nevi), but some are potentially dangerous (called melanomas). Melanomas can arise from moles or other precursor lesions or can form seemingly from normal skin. We are studying the mechanisms of how moles form and what makes them cancerous. Our goal is to develop objective diagnostic algorithms that can assess how far an individual patient’s tumor has evolved and how treatment is best be tailored to the individual patient.
